


Inside of You

by Lara Winner (rah10381)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Isn't Okay, Adrien has a slight pain kink, Adrien likes boobs, Almost identity reveal, Angst and Humor, Awkward First Times, Awkward Sexual Situations, Cannon Divergent, Clueless Marinette... or is she?, Cunnilingus, Dorks in Love, Dry Humping, F/M, Feelings, Fellatio, Fluff and Humor, Fluffy Smut, Hair-pulling, Horny Teenagers, Humor, If you don't know what those words mean you shouldn't be reading this story, Masturbation, Mentions of Sex, Mutual Pining, Pining, Plagg is a Little Shit, Plagg is the voice of reason- #it'sallaboutthesnark, Rooftop Sexy Times, SO MUCH SARCASM, Scratching, Sex, Sitting These Kids Down To Talk, Sweetness, Vaginal Fingering, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, and Mari's butt, full identity reveal, sexting... sort of, silly virgins, so much pining, they're seventeen... so yeah...SEX, thoughts of sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2020-04-07 06:57:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 77,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19079851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rah10381/pseuds/Lara%20Winner
Summary: When Adrien “accidentally” read Marinette’s diary there was no way he could know how that one seemingly insignificant action would set off a chain reaction that would turn his world upside down. Now he finds himself navigating uncharted territory with Marinette, closer to his Lady than ever before, and gaining the courage to become his own person one step at a time.But with the good comes the bad and with the threat of Hawkmoth still looming on the horizon, Adrien can't shake the fear that he could lose everything faster than he can say cataclysm...





	1. Eyes Wide Closed

**Inside Of You**

BY: Lara Winner

* * *

 

  _And I'm sure I can pretend_  
_To be a gentleman_  
_But before I begin_  
_I just gotta know_

 _What do I have to do_  
_To get inside of you_

Hoobastank - “Inside of you”

 

It was a universal law. 

The most basic display of cause and effect.

Even the fact that he was the wielder of destruction and the harbinger of decay could not alter the course of this particular series of events because it was pure common sense, really.

Knowledge was power and from that power came opportunity. With knowledge came the means to create and to destroy; dependent entirely on the whim of its master.

But gaining knowledge did have one drawback, one little flaw that a curious cat with questionable ethics should have had the foresight to take into consideration.

Knowledge, once acquired, could not be unlearned.  Knowledge could change everything, in the blink of an eye. Knowledge cruelly yanked away the security blanket of the unknown. It threw its master into dangerous territory without so much as ‘bon voyage, sucker’.

Adrien’s eyes jerked up as Marinette entered the classroom.

Ignorance was bliss. He truly understood that now. Because just this morning he was in control. He was oh so blissfully ignorant and happy. He could look at his friend and not feel like a total creeper.

_Gently, his fingertips trail over my skin, followed by teeth as he nips at my neck-_

He couldn’t stop the way his eyes followed the naked curve of her shoulder, drinking in the sight of her graceful neck, bared as she turned her head to talk to Alya. The tank top she wore- if it could be called that- had thin spaghetti straps and the neckline rode right along the top of her bosom. He was pretty sure she wasn’t wearing a bra.

_His hands are warm as they slide under my shirt and over my breasts, squeezing lightly-_

His palms tingled and his fingers twitched. He couldn’t tear his eyes away, not even if his life depended on it.

As Marinette started up the steps to her seat, her pert and perfect little breasts bounced ever so slightly.

Yeah, she definitely wasn’t wearing a bra.

Holy fucking hell, if he didn’t get a grip he was going to spend the afternoon in sticky boxers. Not an appealing prospect in the least.

It was amazing, mind boggling really, how everything was different now that he knew.

As Marinette passed his seat she let out a soft gasp, her attention snapping to a point just past his shoulder. A small part of his brain dimly realized that she’d found _it._  

A much, much larger part of his brain focused on the sound she’d made, wondering what it would take to get her to make that sound again.

He could bite, if she asked nicely.

“Mari?” Alya whispered, loudly enough that Adrien could hear without drawing the attention of their classmates, “Did you really leave  your diary on your desk?”

No. She’d actually dropped it on the floor by her desk. He was nice enough to put it on the desk for her. But Adrien didn’t say that out loud because… well, he was pretty sure he wasn’t going to get a thank you for his troubles.

Marinette’s response was a squeak.

He liked that noise too.

It was a relief when Nino slid into the bench seat beside him. He needed the distraction desperately.  

“Dude, you alright?” Nino asked, one brow arching as he took in Adrien’s strained smile.

“Yeah,” just mind blown, shell-shocked, sporting a stiffy from hell...  Adrien nodded, “I’m good.”

As Nino began to talk animatedly about the cd he’d purchased during lunch break, Adrien only half listened. There was whispering coming from the two girls sitting behind him and he could have sworn he heard his name more than once. When the final bell rang and their teacher commanded the attention of the class, he finally began to relax.

While taking notes was helping to redirect his focus, Adrien was still a bit hot and bothered, which was a perfectly normal reaction for a seventeen year old boy when confronted with…

with the…

Pornographic?

No, that word suggested something dirty and obscene. What he’d read in his friend’s diary was soft and sweet just like Marinette herself.

Sensual. That was a much better word.

He was turned on by reading Marinette’s sensual fantasies. And it certainly hadn’t hurt his arousal or his ego to find that she was fantasizing about doing those kinds of things with him. But that didn’t mean he was proud of what he’d done. In fact, he felt incredibly guilty about invading her privacy like that.

In his defense, he didn’t realize it was her diary at first.

The non-descript journal seemed harmless enough when he noticed it on the floor beside her desk. He glanced up to see who might have dropped it but he was the last person in the classroom. So he’d slipped it into his bag with the intention to ask about it after lunch.

He had no good excuse as to why he succumbed to temptation and decided to peek inside the book. It would be nice if he could blame Plagg but Adrien had always had a curious nature even before taking up the black cat miraculous.

Once settled in the towncar, Adrien stole a quick glance just to make sure Gorilla was focused on the road, then set the journal on his lap and open it up to a random page. He recognized Marinette’s loopy pemenship instantly but what caught his attention was his name. So he started to read.

He should have stopped. The second he realized that what she had written wasn’t meant for his eyes- or anyone else's for that matter- he should have closed the book and put it away. But it was already too late. He was sucked in. He was trapped inside her words, learning the secrets that sometimes made her a stuttering, blushing mess around him. He was caught with his own pounding heart and flaming face, lost in the feelings her words invoked.

Then he flipped the page and nearly choked.

He wasn’t expecting a collection of rough sketches to illustrate exactly what she pictured in her mind.

At that point he slammed the journal closed and avoided Gorilla’s stoic gaze in the rearview mirror. It was the longest and most uncomfortable ten minute car ride of his life.

Once home, he’d taken the stairs two at a time to his room and locked the door for good measure. He pulled out some cheese for Plagg and then locked himself in the bathroom. Sitting on the floor, his back to the door, he started from the first page and absorbed all that could.

Every word.

Every image.

He wanted to keep them all for himself.

Marinette wrote of soft touches and passionate kisses. She described the paths across her body that she wanted him to follow with his lips and tongue. Then she turned her focus to the areas of his body that she wanted to explore and Adrien was unmanned, laid bare by her desires and branded by his own.

By the time he reached the last page he was breathless and aching.

Then the alarm on his phone sounded to alert him it was time to return to school and the hazy lust that addled his brain was rudely stripped away as if he’d been doused with ice water.  

As he closed the diary he noticed the name scrawled on the inside cover.

Marinette Agreste.

Complete with a heart dotted above the i.

Adrien swallowed hard as the true folly behind his actions suddenly came collapsing down from all angles.

Marinette… she was… in love with him.  In love. The real deal. As in he could hurt her and… what the fuck? When did this even happen?  

More importantly, how was he going to talk to her without being reminded that she touched herself and thought of him?

That she wanted her first time to be with him.

That she drew a picture of straddling his face and he found it really fucking sexy.

It was about that time that Adrien realized how badly he’d fucked up.  Because, while it was all too easy to be seduced by Marinette’s innermost thoughts and ride the high of learning her most guarded secrets, it was going to be infinitely harder to face her and act as if seeing this part her of hadn’t changed some part of him as well.

The ride back to school was just as uncomfortable as before and Adrien’s knee bounced the entire time with nervous energy. Would Marinette take one look at him and know? Would she call him out for being an insensitive jerk?

Thankfully he was the first student back to class and he’d tossed the journal onto her desk with a sigh of relief and sank down into his seat.

So far Alya hadn’t tried to strangle him and Marinette hadn’t run from the room in tears so he was going to assume his crime might just remain undiscovered.

He just had to play it cool. Act normal. Be poster boy Adrien and make sure none of his Chat tendencies leaked though and he didn’t something really stupid like start flirting with her....  

But would that really be a bad thing?

Granted, he’d never thought about Marinette in _that_ way before now. And that was probably a damn shame on his part because she was an amazing girl, he’d admit that in a heartbeat. She was a constant in his life, one of his closest friends, someone that he could trust and depend on. And he was definitely the biggest idiot on earth for not catching on to her feelings sooner.

Did that mean he wanted her to be more than a friend?

Honestly, he wasn’t sure.

He didn’t have many true friends; actually Nino, Alya and Marinette were it. And to risk losing that bond with Marinette because he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants and his hands to himself was a chance he wasn’t too keen on taking. Maybe, if he could say it wasn’t his hormones talking and he was legitimately interested in her then it would be different.

But he’d never had that infatuated feeling for Marinette.

With Ladybug he’d felt it from the start. Butterflies in his stomach, a racing heart, unable to think about anything else… he’d been a goner before he even knew what was happening. With Kagami it was similar, not nearly as intense but there was something about her that appealed to him.

Obviously he had a type.

But with Marinette it was different. They’d been friends for years now. They were two peas in a pod. Other than his alter-ego, there wasn’t a single thing he couldn’t confide to her. He’d thought they were on the same platonic page. Obviously he was very wong.

And maybe it was because he was just weird or maybe it was due to his career in an industry where fucking your way to the top was normal, but he would put more value in platonic relationships than sexual ones any day. Still, the thought of ignoring this newfound knowledge and not utilizing the opportunity presented didn’t feel right either.

So what the fuck was he supposed to do?

Adrien needed time to think. His brain was on overload, his body was in overdrive and he was in no way ready for things to change.

That would have to be good enough for now.

* * *

 

Later that night Chat Noir’s head wasn’t really in the game.

 

He kept up with Ladybug mostly out of muscle memory and reflex. He leapt from rooftop to rooftop, just one step ahead but his mind wasn’t on his actions. His thoughts were still going in circles, still fluctuating between excitement and doubt but he was beginning to sway in one direction more than the other.

When they finally reached the usual stopping point for their Monday night route, Chat flopped down on the roof, arms and legs splayed out on the cool cement. Over the pounding of his heart he heard Ladybug’s footsteps as she approached and the rustling of her suit as she took a seat beside him.

“Ok, kitty. Start talking.”

He blinked up at her. “Huh?”

“You’re distracted and that’s not like you.” Her voice took on a hint of concern as she asked, “What’s on your mind?”

Chat hesitated. He hadn’t planned on talking to her about his predicament with Marinette... but maybe he should. She was a girl. Maybe she could shed some light on the subject. Or at least advise him on if it was a bad idea or not.

Ladybug smirked, daring him to deny her request and he couldn't help the way his stomach jumped.

“It’s girl problems.” he groaned, annoyed that he was still affected by her even when he was seriously considering starting a relationship with someone else. Sitting up, he raked his claws though his hair, scratching harder than necessary and using the pain to ground his thoughts. “I mean, well it’s not really a problem, I’m probably just over thinking it but I’m really all over the place about this. And did I mention girl? ‘Cause it’s about a girl-”

“Usually when a boy gets flustered and tongue tied there is definitely a girl involved,” his partner laughed.

His eyes narrowed. “My Lady, this is serious.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, trying not to smile, “Please continue.”

“Ok, this is gonna get personal but I promise no details,” he explained before she could protest, “So I have this friend. She’s actually one of my best friends-” Ladybug cut him off with a disbelieving snort and he sighed, “Not you bugaboo. Come on, are you going to listen or not? I could use your opinion on this.”

To her credit, Ladybug reigned in her amusement and pulled out her game face. “I swear, no more teasing,” she promised.

“As I was saying, she’s a really close friend. And today I found out that she likes me. As in _likes me_ likes me. I wasn’t expecting it and it’s kind of messing with my head.”

“I see.” Ladybug tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Well... do you like her too?” she asked curiously.

That was the million dollar question, wasn’t it?

“I think so.” It was the first time he’d admitted it out loud, even to himself, and it felt good.  But his doubts hadn’t completely abated. “The problem is that I’ve never thought of her like that before now. And I don't know what I did to deserve her love, but… I... It’s just…” he frowned, struggling to put his reservations into words, “I wasn’t expecting it, I guess.”

For a long moment neither of them spoke.

“Can you see yourself with this girl?” She watched him closely, her eyes bright in the soft moonlight.

He imagined going on a date with Marinette; taking her to the movies and holding her hand or getting ice cream and then visiting the Eiffel tower.

Kissing her goodnight.

It made his chest ache in the most pleasant way.

He smiled, sweetly lopsided as his cheeks warmed under his partner’s scrutiny and ducked his head. “Yeah.”

“Then what’s holding you back?”

“I’m just… scared,” he admitted softly as began fiddling with the end of his tail. “This will change things and… what if it doesn’t work out and then we can’t even remain friends? Or worse, what if I screw it up right from the start?” Because that was always his worst fear, destroying the very things he cherished the most. But what if’s and worst case scenarios were only half the problem. “I don’t even know how to start a relationship much less be in one. And I’ll have to lie to her about Chat Noir. She’s not stupid. Eventually my excuses won’t cut it and this is going to bite me in the ass.”

“You don’t know that,” Ladybug protested, but it lacked conviction because maybe it wasn’t a certainty but it was an all too real possibility.

The whole thing was complicated and messy. It was the perfect set up for disaster. How could it not be? And yet a tiny part of him really wanted it all work out. “I don’t know what to do. If I end up hurting her-” he shook his head, not wanting to finish the thought.

Ladybug reached out and took hold of his hands, stopping his nervous fiddling with a reassuring squeeze. “So the situation isn’t ideal at the moment, and maybe it’s not fair, but don’t you think it would be worse to not even try? I say have a little faith and ask her out.”

Chuckling derisively, he quipped, “Because that worked so well with you, my Lady.”

“Chat,” she sighed, but didn’t let go of his hands, “I want you to be happy, more than anything. And if this girl can make you happy then you’re stupid if you let her get away.”

“I know.” And he did because that was the same exact thought that went through his mind every time the uncertainty compelled him to play it safe and ignore the whole situation. “And you’re probably right, as usual.”

“I am the brains of this operation. Don’t you forget it,” she winked. Rising lithely to her feet, she tugged him up as well.

“So... do I just ask her out?”

“Yup. Suggest going to a cafe and see what she says. It really is that simple.” Flicking his golden bell fondly, Ladybug stepped away to the roof’s edge then looked back over her shoulder, grinning. “Relax. I have a good feeling about this.”

Chat grinned right back, suddenly a bit more hopeful. But just to be safe…

“Wish me luck, my Lady. I’m gonna need it.”

* * *

 

Apparently asking a girl out was a lot easier in theory than it was in practice. Adrien made a mental note to tell his partner that it was not simple at all. In fact, not only was it difficult but it was frightening and nerve wracking and all around unpleasant. 

That Adrien had yet to actually ask Marinette anything was only par for the course.

For two days he’d been trying to work up the nerve. But all of his bravado came hand in hand with an alternate identity that wasn’t very useful when trying to create meaningful relationships... or _create_ much of anything, for that matter. And it was unbelievably frustrating to have the words hover on the tip of his tongue only to swallow them back when they wouldn’t come out of his mouth.

_Would you like to get coffee with me?_

Why was it so hard to fucking ask?!

As he put the last of his books in his locker, a little voice inside his head- that sounded an awful lot like Plagg- was only too happy to break it down again.

_-Because she’s going to say yes and then you’re going to have to explain that you mean as a date and not just hanging out at which point she is going to freak out because why on earth are you suddenly asking her out with no warning and without easing into it but you don’t know how else to get her attention because the flirting never worked with Ladybug and if Marinette brushed you off the same way she did then you might as well throw yourself off a cliff but there aren't any cliffs around here so maybe the eiffel tower could work instead-_

Adrien shut the door to his locker just as Marinette popped out from behind it.  

“Hey!” she cried and he jerked back violently letting out a very undignified yelp.

“Gottcha,” she snickered, her blue eyes twinkling with mirth.

Clutching his chest, Adrien gave her his most wounded pout. “Really, Mari? A simple ‘Hello Adrien, how are you today?’ would have sufficed. But noooo.” He gave her the stink eye. “I see how it is. Just you wait. I shall have my vengeance.”

“Geez. Could you be more of a dork?” she giggled, rolling her eyes fondly.

Marinette’s bright smile made it impossible not to smile back. He shrugged. “Actually... yeah I can.”  

Marinette laughed and Adrien followed the happy sound as she led the way outside to the courtyard. He watched her walk with a peppy bounce in her step but couldn’t help letting his gaze linger as her hips swayed, emphasizing the way her tight jeans hugged her slim curves.

Familiar curves.

Curves he’d made a point to ignore.

Because it was impossible to be friends with a beautiful girl and not notice. Granted, he’d gotten real good at denying it. He’d become a pro at skirting around it. But the more he embraced the idea of Marinette the more he began to realize that it had always been there, biding its time.

The teasing and comradery they shared was as easy as breathing. But the wanting...

Obviously, it wasn’t as new as he thought.

Unfortunately, that alone didn't make it easy.

There was no way he could go back to ignoring it now and he didn’t want to. But it was getting harder and harder- quite literally- to be around Marinette and not oogle her inappropriately. And the worst part was that she had no idea of the effect she was having on him. Marinette was just being her usual, adorable self.

And because the universe was inclined to add to his misfortune in any way it could, Marinette stumbled which caused her to drop the textbook she carried. So, naturally, she bent over to pick it up.  

Adrien swallowed hard, his mouth going dry.

It was all her fault. She was the one that had to go and write down how she wanted him to squeeze her ass while they made out. It wasn’t fair that she had a great ass and because he was a coward and afraid to lose everything by going after what he really wanted he was left to admire her great ass knowing he would probably get slapped if he tried to squeeze it. Gah!

Marinette was slowly driving him crazy. The girl was going to be the death of him, he was certain of it.

And of course his boner was back because SHE WAS FUCKING KILLING HIM-

That fact the he shouldn't have read her diary in the first place was conveniently overlooked

Frowning harshly at nothing and everything, Adrien stalked over to the usual lunchtime meeting spot and flopped down gracelessly on the concrete bench. He was more annoyed with himself than anything. It wasn't her fault. It was his. And he was already ruining things.

“Uh oh. You have that look,” Marinette sighed, taking a seat next to him. “Do I need to tell the parental units you’re staying with us tonight?”

Adrien’s heart swelled at the offer. He loved her parents and they’d taken a liking to him as well. When Sabine had found out that there were times when he was alone in the mansion for days and weeks at a time, she had instantly insisted he stay over whenever he wished. Not one to really like being alone, Adrien had taken them up on the offer more times than he could count by this point. Sometimes he was afraid he’d wear out his welcome but Tom and Sabine always encouraged him to return. So he did.

But his frustration wasn’t with his father for once and he blushed. “Sorry. I’m okay. Just thinking, that’s all.” Marinette stared him down searchingly and he cracked a small smile. “As much as I love crashing on your couch, I can’t. My dad is home this week.”

Marinette didn’t blink and he thought he might just drown in bottomless blue. She nudged his arm with her own. “Are you sure nothing is wrong?”

This was his chance. All he had to do was ignore the nervous way his stomach twisted and ask her. It was one lousy question. He just had to ask.

“I’m fine. Really,” he lied, dragging his eyes a way to look down at the ground as self-directed dissapointemnt colored his voice. “Just haven’t been sleeping well.” He glanced around, desperate to change the subject. “Where are Nino and Alya?”

Marinette pulled out her phone, checking her texts. She let out an exasperated sigh. “One guess.”

“Again?!” he groaned, caught between embarrassment and envy. “Is it just me or are they suddenly attached at the face like... All. The. Time?”

Glancing back at the school he wished the janitor would find them in whichever utility closet they were sucking face in.

Marinette looked surprised. “Nino didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“That they finally…” Her face flamed red. “You know.... _did it._ ”

“Oh.” Oooh. His face flushed just as dark. “Um.. Nino...he uh… he isn’t the kiss and tell type.”

“Huh.” Marinette looked thoughtful. “I don’t think Alya waited a full ten minutes after to text me.”

Either it was that good or that bad. Honestly, Adrien didn’t particularly want to know which it was.

He pulled a face when he tried to pinpoint the change in his friends behavior and couldn’t. “How long has this been going on?”

“A month or so. You really didn’t catch on?” Marinette asked skeptically. When he shook his head she laughed. “Seriously, every other word out of Alya’s mouth now is some kind of innuendo. And she’s cataloging their escapades like it’s a research project or something.”

Okay, maybe he wasn’t envious of Nino after all.

“She is a hornball,” Adrien stage whispered, wagging his brows and earning a laugh from the lovely girl beside him.

“True,” she agreed. “Aaaand I’m pretty sure they’re doing a lot more than kissing in that broom closet right now.”

_He presses me into the wall as his tongue invades my mouth as I sink my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer._

Nope. 

_He hitches my right leg around his waist and rocks into me as I grind myself against his-_

Nope, nope, nope...

“Oh. Wow… Um… yeah-” Adrien’s flush deepened as he stumbled over his words and cringed at the strange look Marinette sent his way. He was not imagining molesting her against a wall. Not at all. No way. He tried to look innocent. “What?”

“Nothing.” She blinked, pulling herself from whatever she’d been thinking. Hoping up from her seat, she collected her books before grasping his wrist and pulling him up as well. “Come on. Since they’re not going to show we can go my place for lunch. Oh! Papa tried out a new recipe last night. I bet you’re going to love it.”

As Marinette led him toward the bakery, rambling about ingredients and dough texture, Adrien’s blush receded and he didn’t even try to stifle the smitten grin that lit up his features. It occurred to him then, that if Marinette would let him, he’d happily follow her anywhere.

* * *

 

“So tell me, how are things going with your girlfriend?” Ladybug asked in lieu of a greeting.

Chat Noir stilled, his legs freezing in mid swing from where he kicked them back and forth over the side of the building as he waited. Even though he anticipated the question, Ladybug still managed to catch him off guard. He didn’t expect her to jump right into it though, before they even started patrol. He probably should have.

“Not going,” he sighed, his posture wilting.

“Oh, Chat...” Her hand came to rest on his shoulder, patting gently. “Did she turn you down?”

He shook his head and looked out over the Parisian skyline rather than at the genuine sympathy he’d find on partner’s face. The Eiffel Tower twinkled cheerily in the distance, mocking his plight. “Technically, I have to ask before I can get turned down.”

The comforting warmth left his shoulder as Ladybug moved to sit beside him, mirroring his position. He began kicking his feet, unable to sit still. In his periphery her legs began to move, swinging in time with his.

“Don’t tell me the great Chat Noir is a scaredy cat.”

“Only in matters of the heart, my Lady,” he admitted wryly. “Give me a raging akuma any day.”

“Now you’re being ridiculous,” she huffed in amused exasperation. “Just ask her out already. You know she likes you. It’s a sure thing.”

But was it? Because he was _sure_ it wasn’t going to go that smoothly.

“Okay, here’s the deal; she doesn’t know that I know. In fact, I’m not supposed to know. So it’s going to be uber weird for both of us if I suddenly start pursuing her.”

There.

He said it.  

Ladybug prided herself on her quick thinking skills. He was going to let her stew on that and see what she could come up with.  

With his luck, it didn’t come as a surprise when her train of thought decided to go in the wrong direction.

Her piercing blue eyes fixed on him with a pointed stare he could feel burning into the side of his head. “If it was a secret then how did you find out?” His eyes widened, his legs kicked faster and he didn’t dare look at her because she would know that he did someth- “Chat,” she warned, “What did you do?”

“Me?” His startled gaze flew to her face guiltily. “Why do you automatically assume I did something stupid?” Her deadpan expression spoke volumes and he instantly caved. “Fine. But I’m warning you, bugaboo, this was not my finest moment.” He winced. “I may have possibly been put in the position to, mostly accidentally and a little bit on purpose, read her diary,” his voice trailed off in a whisper.

“You what?!” Ladybug cried, aghast. “Chat! How could you?” As he held up his hands defensively, her anger quickly ignited. “I can’t believe you. Ugh! You... you damn jerk!”

“I know, I know,” he placated and leapt back from the roof’s edge just in case she decided to throw him over the side building. While the six story drop wouldn’t cause permanent damage, he still didn’t relish the pain of face planting into the pavement. “It it really was an accident.” _at first_. He was wise enough not say that last part out loud.

His partner jumped up as well and rounded on him, her fingers curled like claws as she advanced forward. “An accident? Really? How does that work exactly? Did the her diary hold you at knife point and force you to read it?”

Her sarcasm stung, but not as much as his shame.

“I found it on the floor in our classroom,” he admitted, hanging his head. “When I peeked inside I didn't realise it was her diary. I honestly didn’t, I swear. But then I saw my name and… and… I couldn't help but read it.”

“She didn’t figure out you snooped when you gave back to her?”

“She sits behind me. I left it on her desk.”

Ladybug froze, the blood suddenly draining from her face. “Oh my god. Chat, you’re… you’re-” She looked ill as she wrapped her arms across her stomach, her face scrunching as if she’d sucked on a lemon. “Ohmygod. Oh. My. God.” Her chalky pallor seemed to grow even more pale, if that were possible. He balked as her eyes snapped to his, a blue inferno in their depths. “I could strangle you right now. What you did- It was wrong. On so many levels. Don’t you understand that! You invaded her privacy.”

“I know and I'm sorry,” he said miserably, offering no other excuse.

“Don’t tell me you’re sorry.” she snapped, “You need to tell that to her.”  

What?

No.

Tell Marinette? Yeah right.

There was no way in hell he’d be able to face her and admit what he’d done. “I can’t tell her. She’d hate me.”

Ladybug didn’t have to say that it was nothing more than what he deserved, it rang clear right along with the consternation infusing her scathing tone. “Oh? So it’s better to take advantage of her feelings?”

Take advantage…

Was that what he was doing?

“I don’t..” Using Marinette? “That’s not..” Toying with her? “Fuck!” His stomach turned. “I didn’t want to find out that way! She should have told me!” Chat shouted.

“Maybe she wasn’t ready!” Ladybug shouted right back.

As they glared at one another, chests heaving and bodies rigid, Chat realized that his partner had considered something he had not.

What if Marientte never intended to tell him? What if she wanted her fantasies to stay exactly that, a fantasy. She probably wouldn’t want to act on them, even if he gave her an open invitation. And by asking her out-

He’d have to be some kind of asshole to force the situation for his own gain.

The kind of guy that took advantage of a friend that trusted him implicitly.

“See,” he choked around the bile rising in his throat, “this is why I can’t ask her out. This right here. I destroy everything I touch. And not just in the suit.” He wanted Marinette, wanted her so fucking much... but.. “I’ve already ruined everything before it even started. She’s…” he swallowed, “she’s better off if don’t say anything. So I won’t.”

“Chat?”

But he was done arguing. His decision was made. “This is what I deserve for getting my hopes up. I knew this would happen. It always does.”

“Chat!”

“Black cats are bad luck. Everyone knows that.” _I’m such a fucking idiot!_

“Chat, Stop it!” Ladybug wiped her eyes and numbly he wondered why she’d started crying. “You made a mistake. It can be fixed. Explain it to her and apologize. She’ll forgive you.”

Yeah, Marinette probably would. Eventually.

But this was only the beginning, right? How many times could she forgive his unintentional insensitivity? And the lies? He couldn’t forget about those because he would be lying to her constantly, living a double life that he couldn’t hide forever.

No. He refused to take advantage of her. Marinette deserved better.

“She’s going to end up hurt and no matter what I do, I’m going to be the one to hurt her.” He took a step away. “It’s better this way, trust me.”

“So that’s it? You’re not even going to try?” He remained silent and she took a step toward him, cursing. “Damn it, Chat.” Voice raw, eyes damp and one word away from falling apart; she appeared on the outside how he felt on the inside and he found that a little odd since she had no personal stake in the outcome of this mess. Still, she didn’t back down.

“She loves you,” Ladybug reminded him, her blue eyes shining.

“And that's why I have to do what’s best for her, not me.” Before she could say more, he snapped open his baton and leapt to the roof across road, calling out, “We need to get moving.”

He didn’t wait for her to follow. He didn’t look back.  

* * *

 

Adrien convinced Nathalie to let him stay home from school Thursday and Friday. He even managed to get her to agree to clear his schedule for the weekend. Since he’d had a little good fortune, it didn’t surprise him in the least when there was an akuma attack on Saturday.

The kauma watch app chimed out a warning from his phone and Adrien pulled himself out of bed, called for his transformation and didn’t particularly give a flying fuck that he was wearing a black wife-beater and red and black plaid pajama bottoms. Or that he’d worn said sleep wear for the past fifty six hours without a shower. Or that he was barefoot.

Nope. No fucks to give.

When Chat Noir arrived at the scene, Ladybug was already there and the unabashed relief on her face when she spotted her partner gave him pause. But there was no time for small talk.  The Articulator- more commonly known as Mlle Calverie, an employee at the public library- was having a bad day and there was no shortage of words that she could throw, quite literally, from the bedraggled book she clutched in one hand.

Chat eyed the book warily, not wanting anymore trouble with that type of thing. “What’s the plan, bugaboo?”

“I think the akuma is in the identification badge clipped to her shirt,” she explained briskly. “I just need a clear shot.”

“On it!”

Chat Noir threw himself into the fight with wild abandon. There was frustration brimming just under his skin and the akuma was the perfect outlet. He gave himself over to the exertion and adrenaline. It was easy not to wallow when he had to think quick and be nimble on his feet.

He even cracked a smile when Ladybug called for lucky charm and a large u-shape magnet dropped of the sky.

“What the fudge?!” She looked around, the wheels in her head turning. Then she grinned. “Ah ha! Chat, bring down that lamp post for me please.”

“With pleasure,” he smirked, then dove across the ground sliding between the rabid librarian’s legs, flipped onto his feet and narrowly dodged the word ‘eviscerate’ just in time to cry out, “Cataclysm!” Ignoring the maniacal laughter coming from behind him, Chat grasped the lamp post and felt a strange satisfaction as the metal began to disintegrate.

With Articulator behind him, he didn’t see the word ‘freeze’ come darting his way but he sure as hell felt it when an unnatural, agonizing cold literally turned his body into ice.

It could have been minutes, it could have been an eternity, it was too painful to tell, but suddenly the mad cackling stopped and Chat began to melt, the frigid pain easing away along with the ice as if they had never been. He turned to his partner just as swirls of ladybugs took to the air. He pulled a face as the lamp post returned shinier than before and stalked back to his Lady.

Damn. He missed how she'd used the magnet.

“Pound it.” Ladybug held out her fist and he bumped it but the smile he flashed her was weak at best. Her brow furrowed in concern.

Logically, he knew she meant well, that she was worried after the fiasco at their last patrol, but he didn’t want to talk. He just wanted to be alone. And it was probably cowardly and it was definitely rude, but as she opened her mouth to speak his ring beeped and he didn’t stick around. With a jaunty salute he fled.

In the sanctuary of his bedroom, Chat dropped the transformation and fell onto his bed, the green light fizzling over Adrien’s skin as his face hit the pillow.

“Are you going to make me get my own cheese?” Plagg groused somewhere near his head.

“You know where it is,” was Adrien’s muffled reply.

“Will you be done moping soon?”

“Shut up.”

“Am I annoying you yet?”

“Always.”

“You have a text from Marinette.”

Adrien jerked upright and scrambled for his phone but his kwami already had the device and zipped through the air just out of reach. “Plagg! Give it back.”

His kwami grinned. “Since you’re up you can get my cheese.”

“You little shit!” Pinning Plagg with a murderous glare and mumbling curses that could make a seasoned sailor blush- and Plagg so proud that his chosen could swear like nobody’s business- Adrien stomped over to the mini fridge, pulled out a chunk of camembert and slammed it down on his desk. He held out his hand, fuming. “Phone. Now.”

Plagg floated higher, closing his eyes and turning his nose up. “Ya could be nicer to me, kid.”

“Please give me the phone.”

His audacious kwami cracked one eye open. “Are you going to spend the rest of the night sulking and staring all mooney-eyed at your phone? ‘Cuz if so, I’m taking your phone and my cheese and blowing this joint.”

“Mooney-eyed? I’m not that bad.”

“And you reek of stale sweat and adolescent immaturity,”

“What?” Adrien blinked. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Exactly. You want to play with her privates and she wants to play with yours. Why are you whining and doing your best impersonation of a gym sock?”

At the mention of privates Adrien flushed beet red. “Plagg,” he warned, “For the love of cheese, I swear, I will never buy you camembert again if you don’t give back my phone.”

“Not until you get off your ass and stop being limp, smelly and pathetic. Your feelings are making me sick. Or it could be a hairball. I don’t know. I just want to enjoy my cheese and I can’t do that with you being all emotional.” To further his point Plagg made a retching sound.

Adrien sighed in defeat, because really, this was his fucking life. “Not that you care, but I’m trying to do the right thing here.” Sinking down into his desk chair, he dropped his head into his hands. “For the record, it sucks.”

“Kid, the way I see it, you got two options. Either make a different choice or suck it up buttercup.”

Okay. So maybe his kwami was onto something.

Adrien peeked out through his fingers, biting back a chuckle as Plagg waved the phone at him and cartwheeled through the air. “You’re right. I’m sorry. May I please have my phone back now?”

Plagg paused, floating upside down. “You never agree with me.” He eyed his chosen suspiciously. “Are you just saying that?”

“No. I’ll try to tone down the emotions, okay.”

“Yeah. Great.” Plagg chucked the phone toward Adrien without looking and dove face first into the waiting hunk of cheese. He resurfaced after a moment, said cheese smeared all over his whiskered face. He pointed a gooey paw at Adrien. “And later when you’re wanking it, you can tone that down too.”

Was it possible to blush from the roots of your hair to the tip if your toes? Yes. Yes it was.

Did the pocket sized god of destruction have no shame? No. No he did not.

“Plagg!’

“What?” the kwami asked around a mouth full of cheese, his toxic green eyes wide and innocent. “Just figured I’d throw that out there since you’re being so accommodating and all.”

“Ugh! Eat your cheese!”

Mortified, emotionally exhausted and physically drained, Adrien shot Plagg one last withering glare before returning to the sanctuary of his bed and pulling the covers up over his head. He pulled up Marinette’s text and allowed himself a small smile.

Mari: [ how r u feeling today?]

He thought carefully about how to respond. He wanted to say something along the lines of _better now that I’m talking to you_ but that would send the wrong message so he settled for a more neutral response.

[I’ll survive]

Mari: [that’s a relief. Maman wants to know if you’re eating enough?]

The memory of a roughly drawn sketch of Marientte with her head tipped back, both hands fisted in his hair as he buried his face between her legs slammed into this mind like a wrecking ball.  The unbidden image turned his blood into hot molasses and his insides into jelly.

_I’d love to eat you._

[I am. Just not really what I want]

Oh fuck. Did he really send that? It sounded innocent enough, right?

Not at all like his thoughts. Because the image was moving now; Marinete’s back arching in pleasure, her chest heaving as she panted, her breasts flushed a rosy pink. He wondered what she’d taste like. What she’d sound like as he licked her to an orgasm.

Mari: [you should come over for dinner. When you feel up to it.}

Oh, he was _up_ to it. She had no idea.

[sounds good]

Mari: [Anything you want?}

_You._

_I want you._

_In my bed. In your bed. Against a wall. On a desk. In the shower. In a bathtub. Sitting on my face. Bouncing on my dick._

_I want you to scream. I want to you moan. I want you to say my name as you cum._

Adrien bit his lip to keep from whimpering.

[food good. Surprise me]

Mari: [lol]

Mari: [Maybe you can stay over?]

He needed his brain to stop. He needed to get a grip.

But these weren’t just his fantasies. They were hers too. And that made them so much more…

Addictive.

Naughty.

Impossible to ignore.

Could he spend the night on her sofa, knowing she was just a room away? Would he get any sleep at all knowing she was in her bed and possibly touching herself as she thought of him?

Probably not, but there was no where else he wanted to be.

Okay, not true. He would much rather be in her bed with her, touching her. But that wasn’t possible so...

[we’ll see]

Mari: [let me know if you can get away. Will you be at school Monday?]

[yep. Damn. i haven’t done any homework yet.]

There. He’d changed the subject. They were back on safe ground. Now all of his blood could go back into the right head.

Mari: [I’ll let you get to it. I’m helping in the bakery so I should get back. ttly}

Like a mature adult, Adrien set aside his phone, shoved his face into his pillow and screamed.

Repeatedly.

He was pretty sure he heard Plagg laughing.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I needed some humor in my life and this is the result. I’m sure this isn’t an original idea and its cliche as fuck but I heart me some horny dorks in love. Thank you for reading act 1. 
> 
> Also purely inspired by the song “Inside of You” by Hoobastank.


	2. Merrily We Fall

Adrien would be the first to admit that sometimes he could be obtuse. It wasn’t intentional and he wasn’t stupid, it was just that sometimes he didn’t pick up on social cues.

A prime example was the fangirl crush that Marinette used to have on him back in secondary school. It had taken her until their first year in lycee to finally talk to him normally and at the time he’d found it amusing. She was so freakin’ cute when she was flustered and he’d been around enough star-struck fans to learn to ignore it, just treat it like it wasn’t there and work around it.

Did he realize that it wasn’t just a celebrity crush? Nope. Did he realize he was cockblocking himself something fierce? A blind guy trying to play bingo would’ve had better odds. And the irony of it all made him feel like a total idiot now that he knew she’d actually been into him the whole time. He could blame being socially challenged on why it took such drastic measures for him to get a clue.

Another good example was his relationship with his father.

Adrien had learned quickly, once he had classmates to use as a basis for comparison, that his home life was anything but normal. The way his father neglected him emotionally but tried to compensate by overwhelming him physically was not healthy or reasonable.

He’d gotten his first taste of normal at Nino’s apartment, surrounded by his friend’s family and seeing the easy, relaxed way they interacted. And then he’d met Alya’s crew and the warm chaos that came from a large family residing in such a small space. Then he’d met Marinette’s parents and he kind of wanted to adopt them. Seriously, reverse adoption should really be a thing.

It was a real eye opener though, seeing how a family didn’t have to be perfectly structured to be happy. In fact, for all of his privilege and material possessions, his friends were happier on any given day than he was on one of his better ones. And he wasn’t sure what to make of it at first, nor understand how he could have ever thought insane schedules, flawless expectations and exorbitant gifts were tokens of affection.

Then there were times when he missed the subtle things, like the shift in Nino and Alya’s relationship. Once Marinette had pointed it out, it was glaringly obvious. Everything from the heated glances they shared to the suggestive grins and the constant touching; he’d overlooked all of it. Even with it staring him right in the face. Sometimes his obliviousness knew no bounds.

With that said, Adrien was pretty sure he wasn’t missing anything this time. And he was certain it wasn’t wishful thinking either. It had turned him into a bumbling, blushing, basket case he was so sure of it. All because…

Marinette was flirting.

With him.

Well, maybe flirting was the wrong word. It was more like teasing and he suspected she hadn’t been aware of what she was doing at first but that was okay because he was just really proud of himself for finally catching on.

He noticed the difference in her behavior when he arrived at school Monday morning. First off, Marinette was there before the bell rang- which in itself was a noteworthy event- and she came bearing two coffees and a box of croissants. She presented the treats as if they were a peace offering which was strange because that didn’t make any sense, but it didn’t stop him from beaming as they sat hip to hip on the school steps and shared the goodies.

The second thing to catch his attention was Marinette’s teal sundress and the way it displayed her shapely legs. He almost choked on his coffee as the thin material rode up quite a few inches above her knees as she settled in beside him.   

It was hard to focus but he persevered.

But then it happened again just before the end of literature class.

Adrien’s seat was directly across the aisle from Marinette’s. She turned to talk to him, shifting her entire body to face him just as he leaned down to put his text book back in his satchel. His eyes lined right up with her knees and he caught a glimpse of black spandex as she moved to cross her legs. He jerked upright, his brain well aware that she’d only flashed him her biking shorts and not her actual underwear, but his dick decided that was close enough and it wanted to say hello. He flushed, ready to stammer out an apology, but by that point Marinette was looking down at her notebook and missed his transgression entirely.

It was a weirdly nerve wracking to discover that his composure could unravel so easily. He was a model for fuck’s sake. He’d seen his fair share of attractive women wearing nothing to cover their perfectly tanned and waxed girly bits and it had never affected him like this.

And the worst part was that he couldn’t seem to control it. As soon as Marinette was in his line of sight his brain shut down and his libido took over.    

It was really embarrassing and completely frustrating.

At least his patrol with Ladybug that night went much smoother.

Chat found his partner waiting at their usual rooftop meeting spot with a pensive expression and holding a small box with Tom and Sabine’s familiar logo across the top. She leaned against the brick chimney with hunched shoulders, her trademark confidence missing as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth and stared sightlessly at her feet.

Chat purposely made noise to warn her of his approach and Ladybug’s head snapped up, an anxious smile curving her lips as she thrust the box toward him. “I remember you said this was your favorite patisserie.”

It was. And the pan au chocolat he found inside was also his favorite. He grinned. “Sweet. You brought sweets. What’s the occasion?”

“I want to apologize for what happened the other night. I shouldn’t have gotten as upset as I did. You opened up to me and I essentially chewed you out for it and that was wrong on my part.”

“LB, you don’t have to-” Chat’s protest abruptly halted as she pressed her index finger to his lips.

“Yes I do. I said things that I didn’t mean because I was angry and that is never okay.” She spoke to his chin, unable to meet his eyes and he took hold of her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. “I need you to know that I trust you and this girl that you like, she’s lucky to have you. I know you would never do anything to hurt her so I should never have insinuated that you would. I’m really sorry.”

“You didn’t say anything that wasn’t true and sometimes the truth hurts.”  

“I was a total hypocrite to go off on you, Chat,” she admitted ruefully. “I’ve done some shady shit with my crush too.”

He shoved down the pang of jealousy at the mention of her crush and laughed at the irony because he couldn’t help it. “Oh really?” he teased, “Did you snoop in his diary?”

“Worse. I stole his cell phone,” she chuckled, her tone lightening despite the guilty blush that began spreading from under her mask. “I mean, I put it back in his bag but not until after I’d broken through his password and deleted the text message I’d sent by accident that he wasn’t supposed to see.”

Chat tried to imagine his goody goody partner stealing something, anything for that matter, and couldn’t, at least not with a straight face. “I gotta say, I never would have thought, Bugaboo.” He struggled to keep from laughing as he leaned in, squinting exaggeratedly, “Or should I call you Kleptobug?”

That startled a laugh out of her. “Uh. No.” Rolling her eyes, Ladybug snatched her hand out of his and poked her finger into his chest. “My point is, if I had been in your position, I probably would have read it too. And it was really crappy of me to get mad at you for doing something that I can’t say I wouldn’t have done as well.” Smiling softly, she asked, “Still friends?”

She already knew the answer but he understood why she had to ask.

“Always, my Lady.” He held out his fist- a symbol of their partnership and a reminder that there was nothing they couldn’t over come together- and she bumped it without hesitation.  

And just like that his dynamic with Ladybug was back to normal. They shared the treat she’d brought and then got to work.

Well after midnight, when Adrien finally crawled into bed with tired muscles and a light heart, he thought over the days events. Specifically his conversation with Ladybug. She talked of trusting him and he wanted to be worthy.

By the same token, he needed to be worthy of Marinette’s trust as well. That steeled his resolve.

He would treat Marinette with respect because he was a gentleman. No more perving and undressing her with his eyes.  He would get his shit straight and tomorrow would be better.

 

* * *

 

Tuesday, however, was not better.

He knew the minute Marinette bounded up the steps in her bubblegum pink tank top, sans the bra yet again- _Seriously, Mari? Come on!_ \- that he was in fucking trouble. He tried to reason that there was actually nothing overtly revealing about her top and that it wasn’t like her boobs were jumping around as if they had their own trampoline. But he knew. He’d noticed. And now his brain could not seem to rewire his eyeballs to avoid wandering to her chest.

It was the worst in trig. That was the last class before lunch and the same classroom they stayed in for physics after lunch. It was stadium seating and Marinette sat directly behind him. Which in turn meant he had to look up to talk to her. Which meant her boobs were right in his face. Not literally, but they may as well have been from the way his little buddy wanted to wave at them.

Adrien was able to keep his cool until Marinette started talking to Alya. She leaned forward on her folded arms which caused her breasts to squish together and push up giving her instant cleavage. But leaning forward also caused her tank top to pull down which amplified the sexy image she presented.

He tried to follow the conversation. What was- oh yeah, where to go for lunch… or something. Whatever. Didn’t matter. His eyes were locked on the delectable display barely two feet from his face and nothing could compare to that. Not lunch, not school, not conversing, not breathing-

A hand waved right in front of his face and Adrien flinched. He sucked in a breath and jerked his attention away from Marinette’s hypno-globes to find his friends watching him expectantly.

“Wuh?” he asked quite intelligently as his face exploded with heat.

Alya was the first to crack. She slumped forward, cackling into her hand even as she tried to stifle the sound. Nino blinked and then started grinning, a little too knowingly for Adrien’s comfort. And Marinette…

He slowly lifted his horrified gaze only to find her gaping back with wide eyes and rudy cheeks, her glossy pink lips forming a perfect little O of surprise. Then her shoulders hitched nervously and she quickly leaned back in her seat taking away the lovely view. But none of that really registered. What actually made it past the haze of hormones and embarrassment that clouded his head was when her lips snapped shut and she arched a delicate brow in challenge.

Then Marinette had the audacity to smirk.

It was pure luck when the bell rang and class began because Adrien was pretty sure he was one second away from melting into a puddle right there in his seat. Needless to say, he was a walking boner the rest of the afternoon.

By that point, Adrien was kind of dreading Wednesday.

Marinette took pity on him by wearing skinny jeans with a lightweight, oversized burgundy cardigan. Adrien maintained his wits and was lulled into letting his guard down. He should have known better.

Everything was fine until Alya and Nino announced they had plans for their lunch hour. In turn Marinette invited him to the bakery for lunch asking if he would mind helping her with the physics homework she hadn’t completed the night before. He’d readily agreed.

It was a quick walk to the bakery. Once inside Sabine lit up at the sight of him and rounded the counter to kiss both his cheeks in greeting. He had to lean down to accommodate the petite woman and he felt the familiar pang in his chest at her mothering. As they passed through the kitchen area Tom gave a hearty hello as he kneaded a glutenous blob that had his hands caked up to the wrist with flour and dough.

It wasn’t exactly a secret that Adrien loved the Dupain-Cheng‘s tiny apartment. Everything about it from the lived in clutter to the homey atmosphere to the scents from the bakery below wafting up into the air; to him it was the picture perfect example of what a real home should be. Not at all like his father’s mansion which was nothing more than a glorified cage.

Just walking through Marinette’s front door put him at ease… which was probably why he was horribly unprepared for what was coming.

After they set out their school books, Marinette began warming them some leftover stir-fry as Adrien took his seat at the counter. He rested his chin on his palm, slouching in contentment as he watched her bustle about the tiny kitchen. The entire scene was warm and domestic and it struck a chord of yearning deep within his heart.

He wanted a future like this. One where they had their own small apartment and Marinette would cook dinner while he kept her company, neither of them needing to say a word because they were so comfortable with each other.

It was a bittersweet thought. And maybe, in another reality where he was free to be his own person without a controlling father and a meddlesome kwami taking priority, they could’ve had that simple life. But there was nothing about his life that was simple anymore.  

Adrien sighed, the sound giving away his melancholy musings.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

He winced. “They’re not worth a penny, trust me. But if I did throw my two cents in, what happens to the other penny?” He asked because the best way that he could think of to lift his spirits was to get Marinette to laugh.

“I keep it.” Marinette glanced back over her shoulder from where she stood by the stove and winked. “Consider it a processing fee.”

“I suppose that makes _cents_.”

She let out a snort, shaking her head. “Lame. You can do better than that.”

Not quite a laugh but definitely getting closer. He thought for a moment and then went for it. “I think it applies well to the _currency_ -tuation”

That time she bit back a snicker and shook her head. “Now you’re trying too hard. I’m not sure that one even counts.” As she spoke, she removed the pan from the heat and began spooning the delicious smelling leftovers into bowls. “I think we need to _change_ the subject.”

Oooh. She punned. No going back now.

“But Mari, there’s so money good puns out there. We got dime for more.”

“Adrien, I’m warning you-”

“Did you know bad pennies go to the _penny_ -tentiary?”

“That’s it,” she cried, spinning around to point the spoon at him threateningly, “I’m taking all of your pennies. Consider it back pay for the years I’ve had to deal with your awful puns.” Her eyes narrowed and he gave her the most innocent look he could muster. She brandished her spoon one more time for good measure before returning it to the pan and picking up their bowls.

Marinette was just about to set his food down in front of him when he couldn’t hold back his shit-eating grin any longer. “All of my pennies? What’s with the sudden _interest_?”

She rolled her eyes. “Nope. No lunch for you.” He had the feeling she would have thrown her hands up if they weren’t otherwise occupied.

“Aww, come on!” Laughing, he reached for her but she evaded and he caught a handful of her sweater instead. “Okay, okay. I’ll stop, I promise.”

Marinette let him tug her back, setting down the steaming bowls before turning to face him. Her blue eyes were bright, her cheeks pink and her lips curled in a half smile. He hadn’t let go of her sweater and he wondered if she noticed the askew material had started slide down her left shoulder giving him an eyeful of lavender lace that played peek-a-boo every time her chest moved to draw a breath. If she did, she made no attempt to cover up. He gulped as she took a step closer, practically leaning into his chest.

“You’re lucky I like you,” she breathed and the husky softness of her voice tingled along his skin like a physical caress.  

They were toeing a dangerous line. With hardly any effort at all he could close the space between them and finally kiss Marinette like he’d been dying to do for over a week now. This close to her, it was hard to remember why he was holding back. It was too easy to tell himself that one little kiss wouldn’t hurt, even though he knew damn well once he tasted her he would never ever want to stop.   

Of their own accord, his eyes flicked to her mouth, his gut clenching as she worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

“Good ‘cause I like you too.” The words tumbled out before he could stop them, his heartbeat accelerating as his hands sought out the curve of her waist with the intention of pulling her as close as he possibly could-

Then reality came rushing back in the form of stomping footsteps on the stairs and there was just enough time for Marinette to take a hasty step away and for Adrien to acknowledge that reality had really bad fucking timing, before the front door opened as Tom’s massive form filled the entryway.   

“Hey kiddos!” When he was greeted with identical wide-eyed, blushing expressions, the giant man looked back and forth between the two awkward teens and grinned. “Am I interrupting something?”

Adrien was impressed with Marinette’s calm voice as she scoffed, “No Papa. I just smoked Adrien in a staring contest.”

Tom’s smirk grew. “Is that so?”

“Papa!”

Was Tom trying to be funny? Or did he suspect something? Adrien couldn’t tell if the older man was smirking because he was genuinely amused or because he was plotting on where to hide his body.

- _holy fuck, he was going to die a horrible, painful death because Tom could literally snap his scrawny ass in two like a twig but then Marinette would be upset and he’d never get the chance to tell her just how crazy he was about her or get laid because it wasn’t like he could ask the big guy “Mind holding off on the killing part so I can fuck your daughter first?” and not have Tom the-Hulk’s-got-nothin’-on-me- Dupain smash him to pieces right here on the kitchen floor_ -

He jumped when Tom let out a booming laugh. “I think you broke him, Cupcake.”

Slightly terrified, Adrien squeaked, “Yup. What she said. Excuse me,” then practically ran for the bathroom. He didn’t dare breathe until the lock clicked.

Through the door he could faintly hear Marinette whisper-scolding her father. Figuring that Tom wasn’t going to kill him, at least for today, he let out a deep sigh and sagged against the sink, glaring daggers at his flustered reflection in the mirror above.

He almost kissed her.

Two more minutes and his hands would have been on her ass with his tongue down her throat.

So much for doing the right thing.

“You still functioning, Kid?” Plagg asked, floating up to hover between Adrien and the mirror.

“I’m such a bastard,” he hissed, trying to force down the self-directed anger that threatened to choke him. “What the hell is wrong with me?”

“You’re in love,” Plagg explained with a grimace of distaste, his tone conveying that Adrien should really know this already. “I’ve seen it a thousand times. So, I know what I’m talking about when I say now might be a good time to rethink your game plan.”

In love…

Was he in love with Marinette?

Was it possible for love be so subtle that it could sneak past your barriers in plain sight? Slip in through the cracks of your discipline and undermine everything you thought you understood about yourself?

Was love the real reason he couldn’t seem to shake Marinette’s hold on him, even if it was for her own good?

“Isn’t love supposed to make people selfless?” Adrien muttered, glaring once more at his reflection and noting that his coloring was finally returning to normal. “Isn’t it supposed to be easy?”

In response Plagg began to laugh. “Kid, you still got a lot to learn.”

  

* * *

 

Chat Noir suited up early for patrol that night. There was energy humming in his blood, a jitter in his muscles and a restlessness under his skin. Staying cooped up in bedroom wasn’t an option. He was too wired to focus on homework. And Plagg kept chuckling at him, as if he were the punchline to a joke he wasn’t aware of.

When Ladybug arrived and found him pacing the rooftop like a caged panther, she frowned. “What’s wrong, kitty?”

“Nothing is wrong per se. Just a lot going on up here,” he replied, tapping his temple with one claw.

“Your girlfriend?”

“She’s not my girlfriend.” The fact that it was only a partial denial was answer enough.

“Then what are you waiting for? Go after what you want.”

He took in his partner, from the confident way she crossed her arms over her chest to the defiant tilt of her chin and right down to exasperated tone of her demand, and was envious that something like this was probably a cakewalk for her.

“I also want world peace, a cure for cancer and to jack Hawkmoth in the nuts. But we don’t always get what we want,” he countered with his own brand of defiance.

“Why don’t you start small for now. You might surprise yourself.” She dropped the cocky stance, her demeanor softening as she offered him a candid smile. “Come on. Lets run off some of this tension.”

They took to the rooftops and Chat reveled in the movement, running for all he was worth and trying to expend as much energy as he could. Ladybug kept pace barely a step behind, her tinkling laughter drawing forth his gown grin.

As it proved to be a peaceful night, it wasn’t long until their patrol turned into a race, his partner taking to the sky in graceful arcs as she tried to take the lead. But cats were quick and agile and while Chat couldn’t fly, he could leap, dive and somersault with the wind rushing in his ears and it felt an awful lot like flying so he figured that was super awesome it its own right. Especially when he touched down back at their starting point just seconds before Ladybug landed beside him.    

“You’ve gotten faster,” he panted, collapsing into a boneless, sweaty heap. “I thought you almost had me there at the end.”

Ladybug flopped onto her rear with a soft oof as she tried to catch her breath as well. “It comes in spurts.” When he snickered at her wording she reached over and punched his arm. “I’m talking about speed, you perverted cat.”

Chat bust out laughing as his partner rolled her eyes fondly, feeling far more relaxed now than he had all afternoon. Tucking his hands under his head, he said, “Thanks, bug. I needed that.”  

“Anytime,” she replied, leaning back on her palms and looking up to the sky.

He turned his eyes there as well but the lights of the city muted the stars. It reminded him of the formal dress Marinette had created last winter with a handful of rhinestones twinkling merrily in a sea of indigo velvet. Almost the same shade as her hair when hit by the light.

He liked Marientte’s hair. It was pretty, always smelled like vanilla and sugar and it was so very soft. He’d enjoyed running his fingers through it those few times she’d used his lap as a pillow while watching movies. He made a mental note to encourage that more often.

He wondered what it would be like to wake up beside her with his face buried in her hair just so he could breathe her in before he even opened his eyes.

Ladybug’s laugh pulled him out of his musings and he found her watching him, clearly amused. “I was hoping activity would help you turn your brain off but I’m not sure it worked. Want to talk?”

Well, he was already thinking about Marinette so he may as well talk about her too.

“Usually I’m good about compartmentalizing emotional stuff. It’s how I deal with a lot of bullshit at home.” He didn’t miss the way his partner’s eyes narrowed despite the lack of inflection in his tone. “Even with Mar- my friend, I was able to separate everything. But that was before I understood her feelings for me. Now, she’s like an itch under my skin, always in my head. My thoughts aren’t mine anymore, they belong to her now.”

“You should tell her that,” Ladybug said earnestly, “She needs to hear that from you.”

Was his partner blushing? He was being more sappy than usual, he supposed.

“Other than the fact that I’m in way deeper than I should be, nothing’s changed.” To emphasize his point he let out a lovesick sigh. “If I wasn’t Chat Noir then… maybe we’d have a snowball’s chance in hell of making this work. I mean my life is pretty insane and that would be hard enough to deal with but then you add in the catsuit and… well, until I can be completely honest with her, it’s not fair to promise her my loyalty when duty will always have to come first.”

“That sucks.”

He nodded. “Yes it does.”

Through the corner of his eye he caught Ladybug nibbling on her bottom lip, a familiar little quirk of hers that showed up when she was deep in thought. But this time it reminded him of Marinette and how she’d looked at him that afternoon, so kissable and wanting, and his heart lurched just like it had been doing ever since, every time the thought popped in his head.   

“I don’t know how much longer I can hold out,” he admitted quietly, “She’s driving me crazy and I’m pretty sure she knows it.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m rooting for the both of you,” she offered sweetly. “I usually make banners for my friends to show my solidarity but I don’t think my sewing skills are going to help much in your case.” She watched him from under her lashes as she spoke, her expression curiously expectant.

His partner liked to sew? Huh, he never knew that. He tucked that tid-bit of information away in the Ladybug files for future reference. Then Chat flashed his Lady a smile full of all the admiration and affection he held for her. “I appreciate the sentiment, LB. Truly.”

Off in the near distance the church bells of Saint Marguerite’s began to chime the ten o’clock hour and Ladybug jerked to her feet. “Crap! I was supposed to be home an hour ago and I still have homework to finish. I gotta bounce. See you later, kitty!” She called, disappearing in a blur of black and red.  

Chat closed his eyes and remained sprawled on the roof, far too comfortable to move. It wasn’t like he had a reason to hurry home since no one there had the time to realize he was gone. But he should go home, take a shower because after all that running he was rank and definitely not drop by Marinette’s balcony and complicate things even further. He would see her in the morning. It didn’t really matter how much he wanted to see her right now.

Yes, he would be a good cat and go straight home. But first, he would just stay where he was for a little bit longer and sulk with the doleful song of the church bells echoing in the night.

 

* * *

 

As it happened, Adrien did not get to see Marinette the next morning.

He was jerked awake by insistent knocking on his bedroom door. A quick glance at his phone told him it was a quarter to five in the morning. With a groan, he pulled himself from the warm and heavenly nest of his bed-sheets and hissed when his bare feet touched the cold hard wood floor. He opened the door to find Nathalie with her hand raised and ready to knock again. She conducted a cursory once over and he could only imagine how he must look; eyes bleary with sleep, hair sticking up at odd angles and a red crease mark down half of his face.  

Was it his imagination or did her expression softened with pity... for all of like two seconds?

“Morning,” he croaked, stifling a yawn behind his hand.

“Adrien,” Nathalie nodded. “I’ve been sent to inform you about necessary scheduling adjustments,” she said, handing over a color coded print out neatly tucked in a protective sleeve.

He glanced over it, the words and color blocks taking a moment to make sense. Then he realized the change made to today’s schedule and he scowled in dismay. “I’m not going to school today?”

“You’re father is needed in Milan and will be flying out this evening. The photoshoot was rescheduled to accommodate this unexpected development. You will be free to return to class tomorrow,” she replied impassively.

Adrien swallowed down his disappointment and forced a bland smile. “Okay. Thank you Nathalie. I’ll be ready to leave in thirty minutes.”

It only took fifteen minutes to get dressed, feed Plagg, comb some water through his unruly hair to tame in down a bit and brush his teeth. He then settled Plagg in his pocket, snagged a granola bar from the kitchen along with a bottle of water and was ready and waiting on the front steps by the time the town car arrived.

Traffic was bitch but riding in the car with both Nathalie and his father meant that he couldn’t lean his head back and nap en route to his father’s office building like he had hoped. The oppressive quiet was also uncomfortable as fuck. Needing something to occupy his hands so he didn’t fidget, Adrien pulled out his phone and sent a group text to his friends telling them of his rearranged schedule so they wouldn’t worry.

One perk to the whole ordeal was that when a photoshoot was held at the office it tended to go much more smoothly compared to shoots done on location.

The theme of the cologne ad was a tropical escape and Adrien had no idea what that had to do with men’s cologne.

_Why would I want to smell like a sweltering jungle?_

The entire set was crowded in with imitation plants and one faux bamboo wall made to look like a hut of some kind. He also didn’t understand why he was dressed in beige harem pants that were so light weight they were practically see through and a white button down shirt left open so it could flap gently in the breeze created by the industrial fans set strategically off to the side.

He supposed there was some artistic ambiance to the whole thing that went over his head. He was also thankful that he was mostly clothed and they hadn’t gone for an authentic tribal look and forced him to wear nothing but body paint and a loin cloth. Or just leaves. He shuddered at the thought.

Time seemed to drag but Adrien had known it was going to be a long, stressful day when his father chose to remain on set to supervise. Things might have gone well if Gabriel had not insisted on micromanaging every little aspect of the shoot. But by the time the third intern had fled the room in tears, Adrien was a tense ball of nerves and could not wait for the day to be over and done.

As soon as Nathalie called for break on the set, Adrien fled to his dressing room. Alone for the moment, he pulled out his phone and shot off a text to his favorite person.

[think your parents will let me stay over?]

He didn’t expect an answer right away and grinned happily when his phone binged.

Mari: [yes. they love having you over. I love it when you stay over too.]

It was probably ridiculous but a part of him had expected Marinette to say no. It was why all morning he’d kept telling himself not to get his hopes up even thought the thought of possibly seeing her was the only thing getting him through this craptastic day.

The rush of relief that swelled in his chest at her response was so intense it was actually painful.

But in a good way.

[sweet. I don’t want to impose.]

Mari: [seriously. I’m just going to get you your own key.]

That was a nice thought. Too nice, actually.

[i feel like there’s a catch to this.]

Mari: [our apartment is a pun free zone. Sry. new rule ;p]

He laughed, some of the tension from the morning falling away.

[then i must regretfully decline your offer. lol]

Mari: [lol]

Mari: [how is work going?]

[two words. shit show]

Mari: [damn.]

[if my father gets any bitchier someone may end up akumatized]

Mari: [well that’s just great]

There was a brisk knock on his dressing room door. “Two minutes!”

Adrien pulled a face and gave the disembodied voice the finger.

[i have to go back now. I don’t how late this will run.]

Mari: [okay.]

Mari: [I should go too. I’m surprised Mlle Lamoreux hasn’t busted me yet.]

Mari: [See you later.]

He would see Marinette later. Giddy excitement twisted his stomach and set his heart racing because fuck if he didn’t have it bad for this girl.

There was a spring in Adrien’s step as returned to the set and the impish grin he sported stuck around and wouldn’t quite go away.

 

* * *

 

It was a little after eight when Adrien finally made it back to the mansion. With Nathalie and his father gone there was no one other than Gorilla to keep an eye on him and the big brute hadn’t ratted out his sleepovers at Marinette’s yet so he felt confident that would hold true this time as well.  

Adrien made quick work of taking a shower, packing the essentials in his gym bag and feeding his kwami. He sent Marinette a quick text to let her know he was on his way over. Gorilla said nothing as he drove his charge to the Dupain-Cheng bakery and Adrien’s excited nerves turned into nervous nerves the closer he came to his destination.

It was stupid. It was just Marinette. There was no reason to be nervous.  

It was Marinette. There was every reason to be nervous.

She was waiting by the side door as the town car pulled to a stop, the bakery already closed for the evening.  Waving, she rushed over to the driver side window and handed Gorilla a box of treats. The man actually cracked a small smile and Adrien figured that free treats were the real reason his bodyguard hadn’t said anything to his father about these unsanctioned visits.

As soon as Gorilla drove away, Marinette ushered Adrien inside, making sure to lock the door for the night before preceding him up the stairs and giving him quite the view of her perfectly rounded backside in a pair of yoga pants that hung low on her hips. He tugged at the collar of his t-shirt, a warm flush creeping down his neck.

“My parents are already in bed for the night,” she said over her shoulder in a hushed whisper. “They asked that we not make too much noise so I figured we could watch a movie.”

“Sounds great,” he replied just as quietly.

Was that a squeak in his voice? Could you squeak while whispering?

His eyes fixed on the sliver of pale skin between the top of her pants and the bottom of her tank top and he knew that it probably wasn’t safe to talk.

Luckily he didn’t have to.

Marinette was one step ahead and had everything set up for a pleasurable movie watching experience. The sofa was covered in blankets and pillows that were strategically placed for maximum comfort and the overhead lights were off leaving only the soft glow of the television to see by. All Adrien had to do was place his belongings out of the way and take a seat.

“Which one?” Marinette asked, holding out two of his favorite movies; Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away.

“Spirited Away”

With a hum of approval, Marinette put the dvd in the player and then joined him on the sofa, curling into his side and pulling the blankets over them before pressing play.

As the intro started Adrien felt her fingers begin toying with the hair at the nape of his neck. The gentle ministration sent tingles shooting down his spine and he couldn’t entirely suppress his shiver. It felt so nice a purr began rising in his throat but he covered it up with a cough and shifted closer into Marinette, resting his cheek against the top of her head.

It wasn’t long until Adrien’s eyes grew heavy, the stress and exhaustion of the day’s events catching up with him. He hovered on the precipice of sleep, lulled into a haze of pure contentment by the scent of vanilla and the warmth radiating from Marinette’s slight form.

When Marinette’s fingers stilled it drew Adrien back into awareness, rousing him from his stasis. He glanced down, a tender smile pulling at his lips. She was breathing deeply, one hand curled under her chin and her expression serene. It was Marinette at her most vulnerable and it tugged at his heartstrings in a way that nothing else could.

Plagg was right. He really was in love with Marinette.

It made sense because while he loved Ladybug, and accepted that a part of him always would, what he was feeling now as he stared down at the beautiful girl sleeping against his chest went deeper than anything he’d ever felt for anyone before. And he kind of understood now why he’d kept her at a safe distance for all those years; on some level he had to have known that this would consume him, overwhelm him, break him into jagged pieces and then put him back together as hers and hers alone.

It was terrifying.

It was exhilarating.

It was going to eat him alive every time he had to pretend that Marinette wasn’t the center of his universe.   

The last vestiges of sleep disappeared like wisps of smoke in the wind as Adrien tried to push the miserable thought away. But it had already done its worst and the peacefulness that had filled him only moments before was gone. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his tired eyes. Dwelling on things that couldn’t be changed was pointless and he didn’t want to spend his time with Marinette being emo and grumpy. Even if he was just watching her sleep.

Adrien glanced at the television only to realize that the movie was over and probably had been for some time. That meant it was late and he really should get Marinette to bed. The morning would come fast enough and they both needed rest.

He shook her shoulder gently. “Mari, wake up.” She didn’t budge. He tried again. “Mari, wake up. It’s time for bed.” Nothing happened. He chuckled and shook her a bit harder. “Hey sleepyhead, wake up.”  

“Mrruph,” she mumbled incoherently, twisting further into his side.

“The hard way it is then,” he muttered under his breath, carefully extricating himself from Mainette’s clingy grip. He nearly laughed out loud as she burrowed into the spot he’d vacated and curled up into a ball.

It actually wasn’t hard at all to lift her into his arms and carry her toward the stairs. She weighed next to nothing and he found it endearing when she made grumbling noises as she tucked her face against his neck. It was a little trickier to get up the stairs and through her trap door but he managed well enough and without bumping her into anything.

The ladder to her bed, however, was another matter.

He tried to shift her, planning to hoist her over his shoulder so he could use at least one hand to hold on to the ladder but the motion roused her further and she let out a soft squeak, sleepy eyes jerking up to his face. “A..Ad..Adrien?”

“It’s ok, I’ve got you.” It melted his heart right into his feet when Marinette wrapped her arms around his neck instead of pulling away.

The problem came when once he got her up on the bed and she refused to let go.

It was pretty impressive how fast he could give himself emotional whiplash, especially as Marinette pulled him down, practically on top of her. All it took was her midnight hair spread out against the pink sheets, her lidded baby blues watching him shyly as they sparkled from the moonlight spilling through her skylight and the tip of her tongue darting out as she nervously licked her lips, to send his blood rushing south as all feelings of tender affection burned away in the wake of white-hot desire.

It wasn’t fair that she looked so… so… so fucking kissable.

Then she just had to start carding her fingers through his hair because he wasn’t already on the verge of doing something really, really stupid that would inevitably hurt her and ruin everything-

Adrien gasped as Marinette raked her nails along his scalp, slowly and with just enough pressure to make his arms tremble as he his braced his weight from crushing her. He dipped his head because how could he not? Her lips were right there and her scratches felt so good. His nose bumped hers and her eyes started to slide closed.

Pulling away was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.

Marinette’s eyes snapped open, a furious blush exploding across her moon-kissed features. She released her hold and scrambled to sit up, refusing to look at him.

_Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck..._

“I..” he swallowed hard. “I better go.” In a blink he was off the bed, down the ladder and almost to the door when he heard her say his name in a small voice.

“Adrien...”

“Yeah?” he asked without turning around.

“Why won’t you kiss me?”

He flinched as love, guilt, lust and disappointment viciously twisted his insides at the hesitant timidity in her voice.

_I’m afraid I’ll hurt you. I’m a coward. I’m one big complication. I don’t want to mess this up._

_I love you._

Marinette deserved the truth, or as much of it as he could admit to her.

“If I kiss you things will change.” But even as he said it out loud he knew there was no going back now. Nothing would ever be the same, kiss or no kiss.

“Can’t you stop over thinking this?” she asked, her voice as close to pleading as he’d ever heard it. “Quit being a scaredy cat.”

“You’re not making this easy,” he sighed in frustration, finally turning around.

“Neither are you,” she muttered, giving him a coy pout that was a dangerous thing right then because he could already feel his resolve crumbling to dust.

His eyes narrowed. “I feel like you’re trying to proposition me.”

“Well…” Marinette’s pout shifted into a smirk that made his inner Chat proud, but it was the innocent blush that fucking did him in. “Why don’t you come back up here and find out.”

She was a walking contradiction; flirting and blushing, shy one moment and shameless the next. As she held out a hand to him, silently begging him not to walk away, he realized that he’d been wrong before. This was Marinette at her most vulnerable, wearing her heart on her sleeve even as she worried he would reject her again. And that cut deep.

He might be an absolute wreck but he refused to let her believe, even for a second, that he didn’t want every inch of her.

Adrien moved back to the ladder and climbed up, not taking his eyes off hers, answering the hopeful challenge in her gaze because he couldn’t say no and he didn’t have the heart to try. Taking her hand, he turned it over, pressing his lips to her palm and grinning when he heard the obvious catch in her breathing. Then Marinette’s patience snapped and she pulled her hand away to grip the collar of his t-shirt and yanked him forward.

Nothing in his life had prepared Adrien for the tantalizing feeling of a soft girl wriggling her way onto his lap as she crushed her mouth to his. His arms wrapped around her, whether to pull her closer or seek purchase he wasn’t sure. His brain wasn’t really capable of thinking. All he could do was feel the way her mouth began to move against his; clumsy, desperate and heavenly.

The desire was back, leaving no room for any other emotion. Adrien’s heart thundered as everything under his skin felt unbearably hot. Then Marinette tilted her head just a little, changing the angle to catch his bottom lip between hers and sucked gently. Adrien couldn’t hold back his groan.

When she pulled back to rest her brow against his, her chuckle was breathless. “Want another one?”

“Fuck yes!”

Capturing her mouth this time, Adrien pushed forward until Marinette fell back against the mattress, settling in the cradle of her thighs as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. She clutched at his shoulder blades, her nails raking against the thin material of his shirt and tingling the flesh beneath. He suddenly had the strongest urge to rip the offensive thing off so he could feel more. He rocked his hips into hers unconsciously.

Marinette gasped, her back arching as her lips parted and he took the opportunity to taste her. He traced her lip with the tip of his tongue tentatively to see if she would accept his advance. Her mouth opened wider and then he growled when her tongue slid along his, diving into his mouth without preamble.

It was Adrien’s turn to gasp when her fingers threaded back into his hair, tugging roughly as if she couldn’t get him close enough. One of her legs hitched around his waist and the grinding just kind of happened because she was fucking molded to his most sensitive spot and they needed friction. But fuck if that wasn’t amazing and he had to pull away from her exquisite mouth so he could actually remember to breathe.

Not done quite yet, Marinette began trailing kisses along his jaw, her teeth scraping with nipping little bites. Her fingers flexed in his hair, nails scratching and it was almost too much sensation. He’d never imagined anything could feel this good, never dreamed that she would fit along his body so perfectly.  

Then she reached a spot just above his pulse point that made his muscles shudder and he had to tuck his face into her neck to get her to stop because he was seriously on the verge of jizzing in his pants.  

Which would be bad. He couldn’t remember why exactly but he was certain it was not good.

“I… shit…” he panted, “I need.... a minute.”

Marinette giggled sounding smug as fuck.

Adrien placed a smacking kiss on her neck, wet and sloppy and she cringed away, laughing harder. He took the opportunity to readjust their positions so that he could lie on his side facing her. Her smile became decidedly less gloating and far more smitten as she snuggled up against him, and he pulled her close, rubbing his hand along her back.

It was a struggle to put his thoughts into words but his rationale was coming back with each passing second and before he completely freaked out he needed to know what was going to happen to them now. Wishing he was half as brave as she was, he asked ,“Mari, what are we doing?”

“I guess we’re... testing the waters?” She brushed her nose against his. “Definitely pushing a few boundaries.” She placed a peck on his lips. “Being teenagers and having fun.” She kissed him again, this time languidly.

“I don’t want to lose you over a little fun,” he breathed against her mouth.

“You won’t. I promise.”

Adrien wanted desperately to believe in Marinette’s fierce determination, but he’d never been lucky when it came to keeping the people he loved.

“You say that but…” He couldn’t explain so he held onto her tighter instead. “There are reasons why I can't be in a relationship with anyone right now and you deserve-”

“Ssshh. I get it, better than you think,” she smiled, full of more affection and understanding than he deserved and said, “Just be with me however you can. That’s all I’m asking. The rest… we’ll take one day at a time.”

He was a selfish bastard. A complete asswipe.

He’d make it up to her… one day.

For now he kissed Marinette softly, lovingly, hoping she could feel everything he couldn’t say, half afraid he’d wake up and find the whole night a dream. But even dreams had to end sometime and a quick glance at the clock beside her bed had him sighing.

“It’s late.” Their alarms were going to go off in roughly three hours. He grimaced, “Really, really late.”

“Sleep is for the weak,” Marinette proclaimed stubbornly, then made him laugh when she yawned.

“Actually, I’m more worried about your parents. They expect me to be downstairs. And... um… your dad is freakin’ huge.”

It was Marinette’s turn to laugh. “My dad wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“He might make an exception for the boy taking advantage of his daughter.” Adrien gave her one more peck before reluctantly pulling away. “And I don’t want to die quite yet.”

“Your not taking anything I wouldn’t have offered if you’d just asked,” she countered, sitting up to watch him descend down the ladder.

“Sleep now. We’ll continue this later.”

“Okay. Later,” she agreed with another yawn. “Oh, Adrien?”

“Yes?”

When he looked back she winked. “Sweet dreams.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this story is going to be a little longer than originally intended. It was supposed to be a one shot but I keep thinking up scenes that I really want to write and now... it's ALIVE!
> 
> So the next few chapters are going to be mostly fluff and humor. There is a little bit more angst on the horizon but its probably not going to come from the direction you're thinking. I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this bit of craziness. I'm having a blast writing it. 
> 
> Next time, the shenanigans begin.


	3. Vanilla Sugar Grind

Adrien awoke to bright sunlight streaming through the living room windows. It literally felt as if he’d just closed his eyes and the incessant brightness scorching through his eyelids was entirely unwelcome. 

Groaning, he stuck a hand out of his comfortable blanket cocoon to check his cell phone, squinting at the screen only to find that his alarm was going to go off in two minutes. What kind of fuckery was that? He wanted his two more minutes, damn it.

Then Adrien remembered that he was at Marinette’s and memories of the night before filled his head with a delightful replay of soft girl and hot kisses. He smiled dreamily and his eyes fell back closed, his brain shrugging off the remnants of poorly acquired sleep as the details grew more vivid, his morning wood straining uncomfortably. But he was pretty sure it was bad form to rub one off on your not-girlfriend’s couch so he should probably think of something else, anything else that would distract his mind from Marinette and the way she’d arched along his torso, her thighs clamped against his hips as her greedy little tongue fought his for dominance-

The shrill beeping of his alarm shattered the lazy quiet and Adrien’s heart jumped into his throat, his whole body jerking upright with a curse. Turning off the alarm with a bit more force than necessary, he tossed his phone aside to grab his duffel bag and headed for the bathroom. Ten minutes, one pep talk in the mirror and a chunk of cheese for Plagg later and Adrien emerged, neatly put together and perfectly collected. At least on the outside.

“Morning, dear.” 

Adrien blinked, internally panicking that the tiny woman scrambling eggs by the stove might have heard him talking to himself. But Sabine gave him a warm smile and nodded for him to take a seat. He relaxed and replied with a grin, “Good morning,” but then promptly turned red when his stomach let out a very loud growl. 

“Eat up,” Sabine chuckled, setting a plate with eggs, a croissant and fruit down in front of him. “A growing boy your age needs all the nutrients he can get.” She set down a plate for herself and another for Marinette, then handed him a glass of milk,  before taking a seat across from him. Taking a sip of her coffee, she eyed him worriedly over the rim her ladybug mug. “Are you getting enough rest? You look exhausted.”

Only seven hours of sleep in two days tended to do that to a person. “I’m still tired from yesterday. It was a very long, very stressful day,” he admitted. 

“Marinette told me you were having a particularly rough day yesterday,” she murmured in agreement and then fell silent for a moment as they both began to eat. But he could feel the way she kept glancing at him and wasn’t surprised when she finally asked, “Adrien, may I ask you a personal question?”

Not really sure where the conversation was leading, he tried for an easy smile. “Um, sure.”

“Are you allowed to take care of yourself? I ask this because it seems everywhere I look these days there is an unpleasant story or two about what really goes on behind the cameras and I worry about you. Fashion is a very cut-throat industry and the restrictions placed upon models-” Sabine shook her head and shrugged helplessly, “As I said, I worry.”

Adrien had to look down lest she see his warring emotions. Times like this made him furious that Gabriel couldn’t be bothered to show any concern at all when Sabine, who was not obligated to feel anything for him what-so-ever, worried over him as much as she did her own daughter. And because she had enough room in her heart to do so, it was impossible not to return the affection tenfold. 

“I’ve managed so far,” he replied, once he was sure he could speak evenly.

Sabine gave him the universal ‘mom’ look. “That’s hardly reassuring, dear.”

He didn’t want to lie. She cared enough to ask and because of that she deserved the truth. “My father has high expectations. Most days it’s not so bad.”

He knew Sabine would read between the lines to what he didn’t say. 

“I often question your father’s parenting skills,” the tiny woman sighed, then her eyes widened as she realized what she’d said and her expression turned apologetic. “Forgive me. I was out of line to say that.” 

“Its fine. I get that a lot, actually,” Adrien laughed because it really was okay and she was the closest thing he had to a mother now so Sabine’s opinion mattered and was always appreciated. “Thank you for worrying about me,” he said, just to make sure she knew it as well. 

“Tom and I consider you family. Of course we worry.” She reached over and patted his hand. “You are such a darling boy. Now eat your breakfast.” Looking past his shoulder, she smiled, “Morning Marinette.”

Adrien turned and about choked on his croissant. 

Marinette was… 

Holy shit… 

He swallowed hard and tried to tear his eyes away. He really did. Was Sabine going to let her daughter out of the house looking like that? He kind of hoped she did. He really hoped she didn’t.

Marinette’s untucked button-down, black blouse and her blue jean skirt weren’t the problem. It was the gray cable knit thigh-high socks that left about three inches of exposed skin between the bottom of her short skirt and the top of her socks that did things to him. Really uncomfortable, arousing things. Things that should not be happening in front of her mother.

Aw fuck…

“Morning, Mom,” she chirped, leaning forward to kiss Sabine on the cheek before taking a seat. “Morning, Adrien.” Was she smirking? Oh yeah. She was definitely smirking.

Rubbing the back of his neck, relieved that Sabine didn’t notice his reaction, Adrien shot Marinette a wry smile. “Morning.” It was a bit easier to eat his breakfast without asphyxiating once Marinette focused on her own.  

After he was done eating Adrien put his dishes in the sink and then quickly helped Marinette tidy up the bedding left on the sofa, the whole while trying to watch her inconspicuously. She looked like an anime geek’s wet dream; like she’d tumbled straight out of the pages of one of his favorite manga with her hair parted and braided into twin tails hanging over her shoulders with little gray ribbons tied at the ends. It sort of reminded him of how she used to wear her hair in pigtails years ago, only the innocent hairstyle was a maddening juxtaposition to the very sexy outfit she was wearing. And on her feet was a pair of black mary janes just to add to the whole girly thing because emphasizing her shapely thighs wasn’t enough.

Fuck if it wasn’t going to be another painfully long day.

It was almost a relief when they gathered their things and headed out of the tiny apartment. Adrien took to the stairs first because he was sure he’d find some way to break his neck if he tried to walk behind Marinette. As they reached the bottom the tug of her hand on his wrist urged him to turn around and there she was, her sparkling blue eyes level with his as she used the last step to compensate for their height difference, her smile inviting.

Marinette leaned in closer slowly, giving him the option to pull away or say no but Adrien did the only thing he could do and met her half way with a gentle brush of lips that left his heart pounding and his stomach fluttering.

“Was that okay?” She asked when they parted, biting her lip in that guileless way that killed him every time, uncertainty still hovering around her edges.

So he kissed her again, adding a little more pressure to coax her mouth open, taking a second to lick at her reddened bottom lip before dipping in further to taste her. Her hands moved to his shoulders as a quiet whine caught in the back of her throat and everything she made him feel coiled tighter just from knowing that she’d made that noise because of him and he grinned against her lips. “Definitely okay.”

“Well, I might just have to kiss you all the time,” she laughed huskily.

Which would be all kinds of awesome because kissing Marinette was quickly becoming Adrien’s favorite new pastime. And who said he had to keep his kisses just on her mouth? There was so much skin he hadn’t gotten to explore... yet.

Adrien’s fingers tightened on her waist, mainly to keep his hands from sliding farther down. “You can definitely do that too.”

“Aren’t you agreeable this morning.”

“I aim to please,” he quipped cheekily as he leaned in to steal one more kiss and pressing his luck because they could get caught at any moment but somehow the thrill just made it that much harder to pull away. But when he finally did, Marinette’s punch-drunk expression had him falling in love with her even more.

 

* * *

 

Sometimes Adrien tended to forget just how observant Nino actually was. His friend was so chill and genuinely uninterested in everyone else's drama that it was easy to forget that while Nino might not stick his nose in other people's business, that didn’t mean the boy didn’t know what was going on around him. In fact, there were a few occasions where Nino had known what was going on with his friends better than they did, and they were the ones actually involved.

This was turning into one of those times.

Adrien had hoped the distraction of his classmates and school work would keep his mind in the zone and far away from Marinette’s naughty places. Unfortunately that was not the case.

Everytime they crossed paths in the halls, his eyes would lock on that perfect little peek of skin just below her skirt and for some reason it made him think of garter straps which then led to lacy underthings which then led to Marinette not wearing any underthings, just the socks and come-hither smile... 

It was a vicious cycle that had his dick throbbing right along with his temples.

And it certainly didn’t help that this was not the kind of thing Marinette normally wore. This outfit was deliberately on the sexy side of the spectrum and Adrien wasn’t the only one noticing. He was pretty sure at least three different boys in the grade below them had walked right into non-moving objects while watching her. There were even a few girls checking her out and… yeah… nope... he was not thinking about that…

Alya’s reaction that morning had been priceless. She’d taken one look at Marinette, snapped her jaw closed, pushed her glasses back up her nose and gave her petite friend and crushing hug gushing about how her baby was finally wearing big girl clothes now. 

Nino’s reaction was far more subtle. He’d smiled good naturedly but the slight pinkish tinge to his caramel skin was telling enough. Then he’d looked right at Adrien and gave him a thumbs up.

A goddamn thumbs up like he already knew exactly who she was wearing that particular outfit for.

What the actual fuck? Like... how did he do that? Adrien really wanted to know because he was starting to think that Nino was hoarding all the brain cells in their bromance.

It wasn’t until after lunch- _after an entire hour of sitting right next to Marinette and not being able to touch her or kiss her or anything_ \- as they were heading back to class with Marinette and Alya walking a little ways ahead, that Nino nudged Adrien’s arm with his elbow, raising a brow in question. “So you and Mari got something going on or what?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Adrien evaded innocently, not bothering to turn his attention from the girl in question.

“Right,” his friend nodded sagely, “and this past week of you acting like a tween boy with his first porno mag every time you’re within five feet of Mari is perfectly normal behavior for you?” Adrien willed himself not to blush as Nino laughed, “Dude, seriously.” 

It took real effort, especially since he could feel Plagg laughing in his pocket, but Adrien maintained his best poker face. “Everything is cool.”

“You are not cool,” Nino said, thoroughly amused. “Every time I look at you you’re looking at Mari.”  

There was no stopping his inner Chat from answering with a wide, unrepentant grin. “I’m just enjoying the view.”

“Duuuude! You’re fucking her with your eyes.”

A thermometer had nothing on Adrien right then. “I am not!”

“Are too! I feel like I need a shower just watching the two of you,” he snickered.

“Nino!” Adrien hissed, shoving his friend’s shoulder, “Quit busting my balls, man. You’re not any better with Alya, you know.”

Was he being that obvious? He probably was, but he couldn’t help it. So what if he really wanted to see more of Marinette’s skin and was having the worst impulse to peel her clothes away as eagerly as kid ripping through gift wrap on christmas morning?  

Okay, so maybe that was not suave. Like at all. 

It was her fault.. with the socks... and the kisses... and the lip thing... and… and the hair because he could totally use her braids like handlebars… GAH!!!

By the time Adrien sank into his seat, he was actually glad Marinette sat behind him. Nino just shook his head and grinned, not even a ripple in his chill. Not. Fucking. Fair.

After physics, the rest of the school day fared a little better in the sense that he didn’t cross paths with Marinette again. It was also friday which meant he had fencing practice and Adrien used the time to realign his focus because he really needed to get a grip and not just on his dick.

It was after six when Adrien finally arrived home and by then a different kind of tension had settled in his gut. He hated the vastness of his father's mansion. There was so much space it was suffocating. There was no warmth, he realized, as he trudged up to his bedroom with only the squeaking of his sneakers echoing in the empty halls. There was no heart. 

Adrien debated eating dinner alone in the formal dining room or skipping food all together and taking a nap. He knew he could text Marinette and she would tell him to come over but he felt guilty mooching on her family a second night in a row just because he didn’t want to be by himself. He decided that sleep was probably the smarter option.

Three hours later Adrien woke to a pitch dark bedroom and a grumpy kwami. He fed Plagg before the ball of destruction got too bent out of shape and then paced around his room for bit, rested and restless but not really in the mood to do much of anything. He thought about suiting up just to go for a run but he knew where he’d end up. There was no point in lying to himself.

If Marinette had wanted him to stay over she would have offered earlier. Just because he was lonely and bored didn’t mean that was a good enough excuse to bother her. They were just having fun. They weren’t together, he had to remember that.  

Adrien finally decided to play Mecha Strike because it was easy and it kept his hands busy and his mind out of trouble. He wasn’t trying to beat his best score which was good because his thoughts kept wandering to a certain slip of a girl and it was hard to remember how he functioned before he’d lost his blissful ignorance. 

Busy mashing controller buttons even though it was too late to salvage the round, Adrien didn’t expect his phone to chime with a text message.

Mari: [Whatcha doing?]

It was crazy stupid how happy he was just to get a damn text. Adrien was positive that didn’t bode well for his sanity in the future. 

Striving for casual and not desperate, he tapped out what he felt was an adequately, smart-assed reply. 

[Being shamelessly unproductive]

Okay maybe that wasn’t the best thing to type. Now he sounded like his uptight father.

Mari: [Are you playing Mecha Strike, again?]

Well… 

Adrien would rather come across as a nerd with no social life than be lumped in the anal catagory with Gabriel. 

And why was he even trying to play it cool with Marinette anyway? She knew he was a nerd before starting all of this. She’d had plenty warning that his cool factor was about as authentic as his airbrushed magazine photos.

[Maybe... Are you spying on me? o_O]

Damn. Did that sound desperate? 

Mari: [lol. Don’t have to. You’re super predictable.]

Nevermind. 

He wasn’t just a nerd. He was a predictable nerd. 

[Maybe I should change things up. Any suggestions?]

Mari: [I have a few but…]

Adrien hesitated, not sure if she was just joking around or if she was flirting. He really hoped she was flirting. 

Either way, he might as well bite.

{But what?]

Mari: [It depends.]     

Mari: [Do you want to spend the night playing a silly video game or would you rather play with me?]

The chemical reaction that started his head and ended in his hard on was damn near instantaneous. Somewhere along the chain it tripped his heart into stuttering, hard.

[when you say play you do really mean bumping uglies

_delete delete delete delete delete_

[Am I supposed to be thinking kissy stuff because I’m sooooo thinking kissy stuff?]

There. That sounded… not any better. Ugh!

Mari: [Does sneaking you into my room so we can pick up where we left off last night count?]

[Yes.]

[I’ll be over.]

[in 10 min]

Mari: [lmao]

Mari: [I’ll be waiting]

“Plagg! We’re going out!” Adrien called, jumping up from his desk chair like a sudden fire had been lit under his ass and beelining to the bathroom. He quickly brushed his teeth, decided against restyling his hair because Marinette was just going to mess it up it anyway, pulled off the wrinkled shirt he’d worn all day, ran to the closet to get his go-to Jagged Stone t-shirt, ran back to the bathroom for deodorant and decided to at least brush his hair so that he didn’t actually look like Jagged Stone.

“You must think you’re getting lucky,” Plagg snickered, watching his human disaster run around in a fluster.

Adrien froze. “Do you think.. I mean, we only just kissed… um… I don’t… sex… oh god…” 

Was he going to get laid? 

Shit! 

Did Marinette expect him to know what the fuck he was doing? Because thinking about what he’d like to do to her and actually doing it… Heh. Yeah. No pressure.

“For the love of cheese! Just transform already!”

“Claws out!”

Green light fizzled over his skin and Chat drew in a deep breath. 

_It’s just Marinette. I’ve got this._

Exactly six minutes and forty three seconds later was about the time he realized that he did not in fact have _this_. He obviously did not have a brain either, because why else would he unthinkingly knock on Marinette’s skylight as Chat Noir when there was no way to explain why he was there on her balcony as Chat Noir in the first place? Of all the ways he could’ve blown his cover, this was not the way he figured it would go down. 

Panicking, Chat glanced around frantically, looking for anything that might save him from his own colossal stupidity, but it was too late. He heard her moving about below and did the only thing he could think of and dropped his transformation with a shaky, “Claws in.”

“Good job, kid,” Plagg teased, “Even I don’t screw up this badly. What were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t.”

“Obviously.”

“Shut up,” Adrien hissed, swiping his kwami out of the air and stuffing the furball in the nearest potted plant none too gently. Then quickly pulled his hand back and tried to shake away the sting from the tiny teeth marks on the flesh between his thumb and index finger. 

And that was how Marinette found him, awkwardly shaking his hand while watching her with wide eyes, much like a spooked deer in the path of an oncoming car.

“Adrien?” she questioned incredulously, giving him the stare down with an expression that was caught somewhere between amusement and exasperation. 

“Hi,” he wheezed.

“I was going to let you in downstairs…” her voice trailed off, her lips twitching as if she were trying not to laugh, “Why are you up here?”

“Chat Noir?” _Shit!_ “I mean,” _fucking kill me now…_ “Chat Noir… he… uh... gave me a lift.” He nodded his head as if the action alone could make this bullshit more believable. “Pretty cool of him, huh?”

Marinette lost the battle with her smile, her eyes crinkling. “Very cool. Next time I run into the silly kitty I’ll be sure to thank him.” Then her dark head ducked out of sight, her warm laugh drifting up through the open hatch as she teased, “Are you going to come in or what?”

Letting out a relieved breath, Adrien followed, closing the skylight behind him. That could have gone worse. To be completely honest, he was actually amazed she bought it at all. But all things considered, he’d convinced people to believe far flimsier excuses in the past. Still, he tried not to dwell on the fact that he was already lying to her as he toed off his sneakers and placed them on the platform beside her bed. 

He could feel Marinette watching him from the chaise and the panic from his near discovery wasn’t fading, instead it was shifting into a different kind of nerves as he  approached her. She was watching him just as intently, nibbling worriedly on her lip, wearing the same sexy clothes from earlier with her legs crossed demurely as she fiddled with a lock of hair which was no longer in braids but pulled up into haphazard bun.  

“So…” he said, just to break the building tension as he rubbed his neck with a hesitant smile. 

Marinette returned his smile, her cheeks pinkening as she parroted, “So…” but then her flush deepened and she looked away. Dramatically, she hid her face behind her hands and groaned, “Ugh! It was so much easier to be sexy over the phone.” 

The tension broke and Adrien laughed. 

Seriously? Did she look in the mirror at all today? On any given day? Because lately all Marinette had to do was breathe and he was a walking dowsing rod and she was a pool of water and fuck if her lack of self awareness didn’t just floor him. 

Shaking his head in pure wonder, his nerves bleeding away into anticipation, Adrien sank to he knees before the girl of his dreams and tugged her hands away so he could see her pretty face. 

“You want to know what I think is sexy?” he asked softly.

“What?”

“All of you.” Calling on little of Chat’s boldness, Adrien smirked. “You’re beautiful and smart,” he said, pressing a kiss to the back of her left hand, “funny and amazing,” then pressed a kiss to her right, “and all of that put together is really, really sexy.” 

“Oh,” she breathed, the sound barely a whisper as she blinked at him owlishly.

“And you’ve had your fun tying me up in knots,” he conceded as a devilish sparkle entered his eyes, “but now it’s my turn.”

Marinette let out a soft “eep” as he edged closer, prompting her to uncross her legs so he could slide in between. Releasing her hands, he braced his palms beside her thighs, his hot gaze raking over her only to linger where her skirt was riding up indecently high. 

“How far do you want me to go?” he asked as her breath stuttered. His grin widened, “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything.”

Marinette’s blush deepened to an all new shade of red even as she jerked out of her daze, pursing her lips. “I’m the one who should be asking you. If you only knew what goes through my head…” 

Oh but he did and it was like tossing napalm on the fire already raging in his blood. 

“You want to know what’s been going through mine all day?” When she began to grin, a picture perfect copy of his own shit-eating smile, Adrien sat back on his heels, running his hands down her soft thighs and squeezing gently as he went. “Taking everything off of you, starting with these...” 

Hooking his fingers into the top of her knitted sock, he began with her right leg and slowly rolled gray material down. She giggled when he purposely tickled the bottom of her foot before pinching the fabric and pulling it off with a slight tug. He did the same to her left leg, greedily drinking in her bare skin, dropping a quick kiss on her knee as he blindly tossed her socks aside.

“Adrien…”  Her voice was needy, bordering on a whine, and he could relate because if he didn’t kiss her right this very second he might just lose his mind. Marinette’s fingers were already pulling at his hair as he crushed his mouth to hers hungrily. 

It was so easy to drown in her, she was all softness and heat that made his head spin. Lips moving, breath mingling, sharing the same air even as he could feel her heart pounding in the same furious rhythm as his own. 

It was heaven and he was burning.

But it wouldn’t do for him to lose his head just yet. 

Breaking the kiss, Adrien shivered as Marinette tried to pull him back by his hair. The pain felt weirdly... good? It was sending tingles straight down his spine and right to his dick. He kind of wanted her to pull harder. 

But that would only excite him more and he was already rock hard and throbbing. It wouldn’t take much stimulation to get him off and he didn’t want to have to stop playing with Marinette. He wasn’t even finished undressing her and he was curious to see how far she would let him go.

Adrien was trying to be a gentleman. If anyone was getting off it should be ladies first.

He let her pull him back, hissing as her nails scraped his scalp, and kissed the corner of her mouth. “What should I take off next?”

“Your shirt.”

Fair enough. She relinquished her grip on his hair and he quickly pulled the t-shirt over his head and let it fall to the floor. “Can I take off yours?”

She nodded wordlessly, her eyes glued to his bare chest, and licked her lips. Like she wanted to fucking eat him up. And that made him feel sexy. 

Which was an altogether different feeling than what Adrien was used to. He was desensitized to people objectifying his body due to his favorable looks but this was different, probably because he craved Marinette’s attention and approval.

The top few buttons of her blouse were already undone just inviting Adrien to undo the rest, and she was all peaches and cream skin and smelled like vanilla sugar and he wanted a taste. So he leaned in, his tongue darting out as he pressed an open mouth kiss to that spot above her pulse, that same spot that had felt so good when she’d done it to him, and Marinette sucked in a breath, tilting her head to give him better access. Her hands moved to his back, her touch tentative and light.

He mouthed and nipped and licked along the column of throat, spurred on by every gasp and mew she made. And those sounds… goodness how they made him ache, setting fire to his body in the best of ways. 

But when he reached her collarbone, his jaw scraped along her skin and Marinette jerked back with a breathless laugh. “That scratches.”

Adrien blinked, his brain taking a second to comprehend her words. “Huh?” Rubbing his jaw, he felt the beginnings of sparse stubble along the sides. “Oh. Sorry. I forgot I didn’t shave this morning.” 

“It’s okay,” she replied easily, “I wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.” Leaning in close again, she offered her neck, grinning, “Feel free to continue. It was just getting good.”   

“I don’t know,” he drawled, “those sounds you were making were very distracting and I’m supposed to be taking this off….“ He plucked at the top button of her blouse, grinning triumphantly when he popped it open with one hand. “See, I’ve got mad skills.”

“Uh huh.” Marinette’s eyes narrowed playfully. “I demand more kisses, Sir.”  

“Well, in that case…” 

Adrien returned his mouth to her skin and couldn’t help but chuckle when she sighed happily only for the sound to become a gasp as she curled her fingers against the taut muscles of his back, the sting from her nails a delicious contrast to the humming tension that gripped the rest of him.  

A second button opened. Then a third. Marinette shivered as his kisses followed the path of newly revealed skin. A fourth button. A fifth. He couldn’t really go any lower, he was too tall and her chaise too low to the ground. He undid the final button and grinned as a better idea came to mind. 

“Stand up for a sec,” he urged and she complied, frowning questioningly. Ignoring her look, he crawled onto the chaise and then gently tugged her onto his lap. There was no way to be modest about the new position when her skirt rode up completely as her legs straddled him and his little buddy twitched, straining against his jeans as her weight settled right there...

She was wearing boy shorts. 

Lacy, light blue and there was a wet spot just peeking out from where she pressed down on him…

Fuck, that was hot. 

It definitely didn’t help when Marinette wiggled, trying to get comfortable even as she hesitated to relax completely against him. But friction was kind of the point here so… Adrien grasped her hips and pulled her down, groaning a little as her breath caught in surprise, her wide eyes snapping to his. And of course she blushed, because now that she was literally sitting on his dick with her shirt open and looking like every wet dream he’d ever wanted to come true, she was going to get embarrassed. 

Marinette was... Adorable. Sexy. Perfect. And he loved her so fucking much that the words almost tumbled out of his mouth but that was a _someday_ thing, not a _now_ thing so Adrien settled for kissing her instead. 

She tilted her head as their noses bumped, giggling into his mouth and he pressed harder, coaxing her to open up and taking what she offered as her hot little tongue slid along his, pushing past his lips and then retreated back, luring his to give chase. And he held on to her desperately, gripping her hips as tightly as he dared, hoping he wouldn’t leave bruises even as he knew it wasn’t enough, he needed her closer, tighter, harder.

And maybe she needed it too because she wasn’t squirming away, she was pressing in, chest to chest, skin to skin... well almost. He still hadn’t taken her shirt off. He’d gotten distracted again.

He sucked on her tongue and she meeped, pulling away with a laugh. “Okay, that felt weird.”

“Good weird or bad weird?” he asked and almost didn’t recognize the lust-roughened timbre of his own voice.  

“Good. Just... maybe... not so hard next time.”

He nodded and let his gaze rake down her hotly. There was nothing special about her bra, just a basic style with lace overlay, it wasn’t even a push up, and yet… this was hands down the sexiest thing he’d ever seen in his life. And it had everything to do with the girl wearing it and not the matching lingerie itself but that was okay because he was allowed to touch her and well... what could be better than that? 

Except maybe… 

“Should I suck on other things?” Aaaaand that sounded far more provocative in his head. When Marinette burst into a fresh round of giggles, he rolled his eyes and laughed too. “Wow, I really suck at this.”

“You’re such a dork.”

“Sucks for you,” he shot back, taking hold of her shirt and sliding it down her arms. 

“Stooop.”

“But Mari-”

She didn’t let him finish, silencing him with another kiss, which was slightly awkward because they were both still laughing but he returned it with gusto because she’d already stolen his heart, may as well let her steal away his soul too.  

At least her shirt was off now.

When they parted to breathe, she leaned her head to his. “I don’t care if you give me hickeys, just keep them below the collar. I’d rather not have to try and explain where they came from.”  

Ah, Marinette had brought up a good point. 

“As much as I’d love for you to su-” She clamped her hand over his mouth and glared, but he could see her trying her hardest not to grin so he licked her palm until she pulled away, flashing her an I’m-a-harmless-blond smile as he said, “use that lovely mouth of yours upon my person, I can’t show up to my fitting tomorrow with love bites all over.”  

“Damn, that sucks,” she pouted, not missing a beat.

“How come you can say it and I can’t?” 

“It’s all about the delivery.” She kissed him again, hard and quick. “Now, less talking more sucking.”

Then she did a little grind with her hips and Adrien really didn’t care if she was laughing at his expense because that… that was exactly what he needed more of. And if she wanted hickeys then that was exactly what she was going to get. Technically, her breasts counted as below the collar...

Sliding his hands up her sides, Adrien’s heart tripped into overdrive. Holy crap! It was really happening. He was going to touch Marinette’s boobs. 

Heh. Boobs.  

- _This was a huge thing because the first pair of tits a guy touched was something that only happened once… for obvious reasons, and that moment was upon him and the only thing that could top this would be like eating her out, or getting a blow job, or burying himself deep her tight pussy... Okay... Seriously, if she kept grinding on his junk like that, there was going to be a sticky situation in his pants and as it was, between all the pre-cum he was leaking and her damp panites-_

Boobs. Focus on the boobs

Soft. That was his first thought. His only thought, really, because Marinette thought it was a good idea to sink her hands into his hair and pull his face forward and he squeezed them gently, squishing them together as he mouthed all the skin he could reach around the edge of her bra.  

But Adrien really didn’t want handfuls of padding and lace.

He blindy felt for the hooks to her bra and was pretty impressed with himself when he managed to get it open first try. The straps slid down her arms but then Marinette ripped the contraption off and flung it aside as though she couldn’t stand the thought of it touching her any longer. 

And Adrien was not about to complain, not with her perky breasts right in his face, her nipples pink and puckered, the skin around them pebbled with chill bumps. A tremor went through his hand as he ran his thumb over one hard little nub and the softest of moans filled his ears. And he wanted more of those little noises, so Adrien he cupped both her breasts and applied a bit of pressure, testing their weight and Marinette clutched his shoulders, shifting restlessly. 

He squeezed harder, rolling her nipple between his thumb and index finger, pinching gingerly and she moaned again, her breathing turning into a staccato beat.

But then her nails dug into his shoulders and he had the most intense urge to buck his hips and seek out her sweet spot that was slowly undulating on him as Marinette squirmed against the rigid bulge in his jeans.    

Release was so close but Adrien needed her to cum first. 

Replacing his fingers with his mouth, Adrien laved her pebbled flesh with his tongue,  as he took hold of her waist and pressed her down firmly against his erection. She gave a slow roll of her hips, gasping and whimpering and it was such a carnal sound that something inside him snapped.  

Sliding his hands under her skirt, he gripped Marinette’s ass tightly, guiding her movements to counter his, rocking them together as she panted, hot and heavy in his ear. She scored her nails over his shoulders and he shuddered as the searing sting only amplified the tendrils of pleasure coiling in his gut. 

Drowning in the haze of sensation, he bit at the sides of her breasts, sucking her skin between his teeth and marking her over and over, a mantra of _mine mine mine mine_ thrumming in his head and echoing in his blood. Still, the burn was slow and steady,  the friction muted by fabric, and that was probably a good thing because he was trying desperately to hold out just a little longer. But it was really difficult because the building pleasure was equally maddening and amazing and holy fuck if rubbing through clothing felt this good he couldn’t begin to imagine what it would feel like to actually be inside of her-

“Adrien…” she moaned, her voice positively wrecked, her rhythmic movements dissolving into frantic jerks until she came apart, her body trembling. 

Crushing her to his chest, he stopped fighting against his need and let the orgasm overtake him, his senses drowning in salty sweat, cashmere skin and the scent of girl and vanilla.

For a few moments Adrien couldn’t move. Literally. His muscles felt like jelly and his head was floating. But then other things began to register; the wet sticky mess in his boxers, the way the top of the chaise was digging into his back, Marinette’s breath puffing against his neck and it fucking tickled. 

He flinched and she laughed lazily. But he still didn't move. Because moving would mean he’d have to let go of Marinette and holding her, with her bare skin pressed against his, was very, very nice and so there was really no need to move. Like ever again.

Until his stomach growled, loud and insistent.

“Really?” Marinette snickered, “Geez. All you guys are the same.”

Wait... 

Did Marinette have previous experience with this kind of thing?

Something ugly and uncomfortable stirred in his chest.

Not that it mattered, right? She was just joking around and probably didn’t mean anything by it anyway, and he was totally being stupid and sensitive... Only now he wanted to know. Had she done this before? She was confident about this whole situation, at least more so than he was, and he’d been following her cues… 

The ugly thing sank its claws in his heart. 

He barely managed to keep it out of his voice as he replied, “I skipped dinner in favor of a nap. It was sound logic at the time.” 

“Ah ha! I’ve figured you out. You’re just here for free pastries,” she teased, belying her accusation with a sweet kiss to his cheek. 

But Adrien caught her before she could retreat, cupping her cheek tenderly even as he forced open her lips, kissing her as if his life depended on it and fervently trying to prove a point to no one but himself.  And it was apropos of nothing really because she was here in this moment with him, he was the one running a hand along the bare skin of her back, her breasts pressing into his chest, basking in every part of her that she was willing to give and that had to be enough. 

As if in agreement his stomach growled again.

Marinette pulled away, grinning. “So impatient. I’m going to feed you, I promise.” Then she flushed, finally noticing her state of undress and crossed her arms over her chest. “But I need clothes first.”

Adrien refrained from agreeing because Marinette without her shirt on was a beautiful sight and the purple-ish red splotches that dotted her cleavage did a lot to appease his jealousy. For the next few days, every time she looked in the mirror she would be reminded of what they’d done and he was more than fine with that. 

He was about to open his mouth and tell her to forget the food and stay right where she was, but Marinette scurried off his lap and pulled his shirt from the floor, slipping it on before shimmying out of her rumpled skirt. And he decided that Marinette wearing his clothes was a very sexy thing too, even if his t-shirt swallowed her and she looked all kinds of adorable. 

She dropped a peck on his lips. “I’ll be right back.” 

While Marinette vanished down stairs, Adrien made use of her bathroom. He shucked his jeans and boxers, using the later to clean up a bit, then folded them up and stuffed them in his pocket because going commando was no big thing and infinitely better than having dried jizz matting up his pubes.

Adrien exited the bathroom to find Marinette in her bed, leaning over the railing and crooking a finger at him to join her. She scooted over to make room, lifting the plate of honey buns and the glass of milk so they didn’t spill as he settled in beside her. She wasted no time curling up into the curve of his arm, pressing as tightly against him as she could, before handing him the milk.

The silence was comfortable but eventually Marinette asked, “Do you have to go home or can you stay tonight?”

“I can stay. I’ll have to leave early, though. I have a fitting for next weeks photoshoot and four hours of Chinese lessons because the rescheduling that happened yesterday. And piano in the evening. Just another fun filled day,” he muttered sarcastically. 

“I’ve never heard you play the piano.”

“Really?” Adrien figured everyone had heard him play at one point or another. Taking the last bite of his sweet treat, he thought for a moment. “I’ll have to see what I can do about that.” And he would figure out something but right now there was something else taking precedence in his thoughts so biting the proverbial bullet, he shoved down his insecurities and asked, “Will I get to see you tomorrow?”

“Not unless you can drop by the bakery for a minute,” she replied, taking the empty glass and plate and setting them aside. “I’m working most of the day and then Alya’s sleeping over tomorrow night.”

Adrien ignored his disappointment in favor of pulling Marinette back against him as they settled in under her blanket. She slipped her leg between his, her head tucked against his shoulder and cuddling was awesome, especially without the normal layers of clothing between them. It was only natural that his inner Chat wanted to come out and play.

“So... a sleepover, huh?” he grinned, “You know I’m imagining the both of you wearing skimpy nighties and having naughty pillow fights.”

“What the hell?” she choked out a laugh, lifting her head just enough to give him a droll look. “Where would you get that idea from?”

“Do you realize how much porn starts out that way?” 

“No, I don’t,” she replied primly, her lips twitching. “I don’t watch porn. I have a very good imagination.”  

Boy did she. 

And little did Marinette know that her erotic imaginings were pretty much the reason that they were here now because without them he’d still be in his room playing video games like a nerd and watching porn alone in his little bubble of denial... 

But this? 

This was so much better.

“After tonight I can officially say porn is overrated.” 

Marinette tucked her face against his chest but not before he caught her furious blush. “Good. I’m glad because I’m not gonna lie, I have no idea what I’m doing. I haven’t actually done anything like this before.”

Thank goodness! It was such a fucking relief to hear her say that, and not just because he really hated the thought of anyone else being with her like this- though that was super great too- but now there wasn’t so much pressure. He didn’t have to start out good at this. She didn’t have a better experience for comparison.   

“Neither have I,” he admitted, dropping a kiss to her head. “How about we figure it out together?” 

 “Yes please,” she sighed happily.

 He waited all of three seconds.

“So no naughty pillow fights?”

“Oh my god! No.”

“You’ve crushed my hopes and killed my dreams.”

“I will pillow fight your face. Go to sleep.”

“Okay, fine.” Swallowing back his laughter, Adrien closed his eyes and willed his dick to go back to sleep.

It wasn’t much inclined to listen.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am such trash. I'm a slut for dorky Adrien and flirty Marinette fluff. Ugh! This was soooo me and my hubs when we were dating.
> 
> Okay so I added some new tags. I also labeled this story as cannon divergent because I don't know much about season 3. Also, for the sake of keeping this fic at a manageable level that I'll actually finish, I'm not adding Rena, Carapace or Bee. I need to stream line this because what was supposed to be a short and sweet snippet about our favorite dorks shagging for the first time has now turned into an actual full story with feels and a plot and I keep adding more scenes so... I'm trying to keep it simple folks.
> 
> As far as I know, Marinette does not have a bathroom attached to her room but in this fic we'll pretend she does. And she has a parasol and other stuff attached to her chaise but for the sake of this fic we're going to pretend its not there. More room for sin and stuff... yes on the chaise because I would have killed to have a chaise when I was seventeen and oh boy the stuff I would have imagined doing on it... Am I the only person that wishes she'd had Marinette's bedroom as a teen? And my own Catboy to sneak around with? ;)


	4. Step it Up

Chat Noir intercepted the hit meant for Ladybug.

Of course he did, that was his job. He didn’t even think twice when through the corner of his eye he saw Hotshot aim the pellet rifle at his partner. He just reacted.

But something went wrong. 

While his miraculous armor saved him from fatal wounds and permanent damage, the armor was not infallible. Plagg’s power could only buffer so much and Chat was no stranger to tearing muscles, deep tissue bruising and a fuzzy head if he knocked it particularly hard. All of that was familiar pain.

This was not.

Panting, Chat Noir landed on the sloped rooftop in a graceless heap, sinking his claws into the asphalt shingles to stop his downward momentum as a sharp cry ripped from his throat. The blood coating his claws made his grip precarious but in the end it didn’t matter. His vision swam and his hold gave way sending him sliding and then toppling off the side of the two story building and hitting the sidewalk with a heavy thud.

Blearily assessing the damage, he winced. There was a hole in his armor, green and black sparks sizzling around the exposed edges as it tried to repair itself but appearing unable. Blood oozed from the opening, searing pain radiating from the area, no doubt from the magically enhanced pellet lodged in his gut. 

The hole in Chat’s armor opened wider and his ring beeped.

Damn it! He hadn’t even used cataclysm. Plagg shouldn’t have been compromised. Taking as deep a breath as he could manage, he pushed aside his queasy panic and tried to think.   

He’d never been so relieved to have a swarm of ladybugs work their magic just then. 

“Chat!”

He heard his partner’s terrified call barely a second before she landed beside him in a crouch. It took effort to meet her eyes but then her face was all he could see and the frightened tears threatening to spill twisted his heart. “I’m fine, my Lady. See, good as new.” 

And _he_ was. No bullet hole. No blood. No more pain. 

Plagg on the other hand…

They both watched the tear in his armor widen to expose a fair amount of his blue t-shirt beneath. The wavering destruction energy began making a crackling sound as the beeping of his ring turned into a frantic beat. 

“Come on kitty, let’s get someplace safe where we can detransform.”

With a swing of her bandalore, Ladybug launched them to the nearest rooftop and together they took off at a sprint. Her luck proved fruitful a few buildings over where there was a three foot high retaining wall separating the flat roof into several sections. Propping himself against one side, his partner took the other and he released his transformation, catching Plagg in his cupped palm as the exhausted kwami blinked his toxic eyes. 

“N...Need… chee….se….”

Adrien unwrapped the small hunk of camembert and held it for Plagg wondering if it would be enough. “Here you go, buddy.” From over his shoulder flittered a small red being, similar in size and shape to his own kwami. Its large blue eyes watched Plagg worriedly as it munched on a chocolate chip cookie, its antennae drooping.

“Anybody have any clue what just happened?” Adrien asked, looking back and forth between Ladybug’s kwami and his own.

It was his partner that answered, her voice still sounding close to tears. “When Hotshot aimed at me the purple outline over his face lit up and turned white. I don’t know what that means but I’ve never seen that happen before. It can’t be a coincidence that he managed to physically hurt you with that same shot.”  

“No. It’s not a coincidence…” the red and black spotted kwami agreed as she- Adrien assumed it was a she because it definitely sounded like a she- flew closer, hovering right next to his hand. She reached out and rubbed Plagg’s head and Adrien felt his kwami purr. “We should bring Plagg to see Master Fu.”

Abruptly the purr stopped and one green eye cracked open. “Hell no. I ain’t going.”

“Plagg!”

“I said no, Tikki.”

“But you could be hurt, or worse, you might get sick.”

Adrien’s eyes widened. “Kwami’s can get sick?”

“Yes!” Tikki exclaimed. 

At the same time Plagg hissed, “No!”

From behind him he heard his partner sigh. “That would be a question for Master Fu. Tikki did get sick once but he fixed her right up.”

“Kid, I am not sick! I don’t get sick! I’m not going to see Fu. If you ever want to transform again then you better get me more cheese and take me home!”

Stifling his concern, Adrien gave Tikki a knowing look. “It’s the kwami equivalent of going to the doctor, huh?”

Ladybug’s kwami giggled, the sound like tinkling bells. “It is and Plagg is the worst patient ever.”

“I resemble that remark,” the cat kwami grinned. Managing to sit up in Adrien’s palm, he gave his chosen a pointed glare. “Whatever that attack was it sapped my energy. That’s all. I just need more cheese and a long nap. And preferably in that exact order, yeah?”

“I’ll do my best.”

Dramatically Plagg fell back, slinging a paw over his eyes. “More cheese! I’m dying here!”

“Can you hold a transformation long enough to get us home?” Adrien asked.

“I think so. But go straight there. I’m not making any promises.”

“Okay. Home it is.”

“Chat…” his partner paused and he could practically hear her uncertainty as she asked, “Do you want me to follow? To make sure you get there okay?”

The offer hung in the air between them and he wasn’t sure what to say. If his transformation were to drop… 

Adrien didn’t miss Tikki’s open expression fall into a stern frown before she darted back over his shoulder to join her chosen. 

Plagg rolled his eyes at Adrien and answered for him. “We got this, Bugsy. Thanks anyway.”

“Alright. I’m going to talk to Master Fu and see if he has any ideas about what happened today. Or do you want me to wait until you can come too?” she asked.

“No, it’s cool. If you find out anything important we can meet up to discuss it later.”

Pink light flashed through the corner of his eye and he called for his own transformation. His ring let out a beep but otherwise his suit was once more intact.  Turning to his partner, Chat grinned but then almost toppled back on his ass as Ladybug threw herself against him, wrapping her arms around his middle, squeezing hard. 

It would have been fine, just a nice friendly hug… 

Only, Ladybug didn’t let go.

Gingerly, Chat brought his arms up to hug her back, appreciating her concern. But having her hold him like this, like she couldn’t bear for them to be separated, was causing unwanted memories to surface, bringing to mind all the times he would have given anything for such a simple display of affection from his Lady. It reminded Chat that at his lowest point he’d started to resent his love for Ladybug and her inability to feel the same. And when he’d identified those feelings for what they were, when he really thought about what he’d lose by letting them fester, that was when he realized that he had to admit defeat.

So by the hardest, he did. 

Chat accepted the situation for what it was and moved on.

And he’d come so far in the past year that embracing her now kind of seemed wrong somehow. 

He didn't need this affection from _her_. Not when his head was filled with sweet kisses and vanilla sugar. Not with the memories of a different blue-eyed beauty scored into his skin and embedded into his heart. 

It wasn’t surprising that the whole thing made him feel guilty. 

Chat didn’t want this to be weird but it was and with a sigh he gently took hold of Ladybug’s shoulders and pushed her back. “I’m okay, LB. Really. We’ll figure out what’s going on and find a way to counter it. We always do,” he promised solemnly. 

“I know… its just-” Fresh tears welled in her bluebell eyes, her expression torn. “There’s something… I... should have-” But her words cut off again, this time with a flinch. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Chat’s ring beeped as he frowned. He really, really hated seeing his partner upset but there wasn’t time, every second ticking was draining Plagg’s limited energy. 

Ladybug seemed to realize it as well and stepped away, scrubbing at her eyes. “Go. We’ll talk later.”

“Later,” he confirmed with a nod. Whipping out his baton, he gave her a two finger salute and launched away across the rooftops. 

Chat was certain it wasn’t his imagination that had her heavy stare boring holes into his back. It was more than just concern for Plagg when he ran as fast as he could to escape it.  

 

* * *

 

If Adrien thought his Sunday afternoon would fare any better, he was sadly mistaken.

Plagg’s remaining energy fizzled out about three blocks from the Mansion. Unable to sneak back in through his bedroom window, he was forced to get buzzed in through the front gate. Nathalie’s disapproving countenance was enough to grate even further on Adrien’s already frayed nerves. Feeding her a line about visiting Nino, he made his way to his room, disappointment coloring his every step.

In Nathalie’s last email she had estimated his father would not return until Tuesday. Not that Adrien expected to hear anything from Gabriel himself; the man simply couldn’t be bothered to communicate his own son, it was what it was. Still, it would have been nice to know there was a change in plans. And the situation was that much more frustrating because now that they were back two days early, he wasn’t going to be able to stay at Marinette’s like he’d hoped.  

But after today’s akuma attack, maybe that was a good thing.

Chat Noir needed to be available when Ladybug contacted him. He couldn’t exactly turn down their duty in favor of necking with his not-girlfriend. Until they figured out what Hawkmoth was up to, making time for Marinette couldn’t take priority and it soured his mood even more to own up to that fact.

Settling in at his desk, Adrien provided cheese for Plagg and then dove into his homework. It occupied his whirling thoughts and allowed him to keep an eye on his kwami as the tiny cat creature nestled in amongst the camembert wrapper and fell asleep.     

But even with physics formulas for distraction, Adrien’s mood only worsened. It was a chore to stay focused as his mind kept wandering back to the battle earlier that day. It was unsettling to think Hawkmoth had some kind unforeseen advantage. This meant that he and Ladybug had to up their game. If Hawkmoth had acquired a power boost then this didn’t bode well for Paris or her defenders.     

Absently he rubbed at his side, an echo of pain ghosting over his skin.  

The stakes were becoming higher than ever.  

So were the risks.

And just when certain aspects of his life were starting to look up…

Adrien huffed a sardonic chuckle and forced his attention back to his notes, stubbornly ignoring the feeling of dread that settled in his stomach.

 

* * *

 

Sleep didn’t come easily that night. 

After two hours of fitful tossing and turning, Adrien gave up the pretense and wandered over to the wall length window, crossing his arms as he leaned against the frame. Heavy clouds blocked out the midnight sky and in the not far off distance thunder rumbled, angry and deep. Streaks of lightning danced among the clouds, quick and bright, illuminating his pensive expression at irregular intervals. 

A meager weight settled on his shoulder carrying with it the faint scent of smelly cheese and the feel of warm fur. The presence was a welcome comfort.

“You’re thinking too much,” Plagg sighed. “Wanna talk about it?”

The disquiet haunting Adrien’s thoughts coalesced into words that rose unbidden to his lips. 

“Did I almost die today?”

Plagg snorted. “They coulda patched you up in one of those fancy shmancy hospitals, I’m sure. Though I think it hit your kidney so… maybe in a day or two? If nobody tried to get you help… which wouldn’t happen so don’t worry.”

“What if he’d shot me in the heart?”

“Bugsy woulda healed you.”

His kwami’s confident reply begged Adrien to question, “Ladybug can bring back the dead? She’s really that powerful?”

“Tikki is the embodiment of creation. Of course she can,” Plagg replied proudly, but then added as an afterthought, “If it’s caused by something her miraculous cure can fix. Even her power has limits.”

Where creation was the giver of life, destruction was the bringer of death. Adrien understood the responsibility that came with the powers he wielded. 

He expected one day they would come with a price as well.

“Today just… I don’t know… got real, I guess?”

“The chance that you could die was always there, kid. Kinda goes hand in hand with saving the world,” Plagg pointed out. “And let’s face it, you are shit at self preservation.”

“I thought taking hits and kicking ass was our angle?”

“It is. You and I, we do whatever it takes to protect creation. No matter what.” Adrien felt Plagg pat his cheek. “If we do our job then she can do hers and we all walk away when this is done. Creation can always create destruction. Doesn’t work so well the other way around, though.”

Which was just a nice way of saying Chat Noir was expendable. 

If a strategic loss became necessary then Adrien would do what needed to be done. That was the best way he could help the innocent civilians he fought for. It was the only way to protect the people he loved. He had to trust in his partner just as she trusted in him. 

“I promise Plagg, the only way that son-of-a-bitch is getting his hands on LB is over my dead body.”

“Good ‘cause there really isn’t room to screw this up. Either creation wins or no one does.”

As if to emphasize Plagg’s words the very sky exploded into blinding threads of living energy followed by a deafening crack and then a slow, furious rumble that shook the walls. 

 _Do not go gentle into that goodnight_ , he thought. _Rage, rage against the dying of the light._

Adrien would rage; and kick and scream and claw and fight with all the savagery destruction could bring forth, and he would do it with a smile because he chose to bear this burden so that no one else would have to. 

And if he didn't make it out alive in the end? 

Then maybe he’d get to see his mom again. At least he fervently hoped so.

“I’m not afraid to die,” he admitted into the fleeting quiet. “I would have regrets, though.” 

There were a lot of loose ends he would be leaving behind and a handful of people that would genuinely miss him, but only one hurt in a way that made it hard to breathe.

“Can you focus on something other than your girlfriend for five minutes?” Plagg whined.

“How can I not think about Marinette right now?” Adrien asked in a pained whisper. “I dragged her into this mess because I’m fucking selfish and she doesn’t even know how much the outcome of this will affect her and I can’t warn her without giving myself away and painting a damn bulls-eye on her back-” Rubbing a hand down his face, he groaned, “I wasted four fucking years being stupid and oblivious and now I’ll probably never get to tell her just how much she means to me.” 

“Kid, for someone with a top score GPA, your dumbassery never fails to astound me.”

Adrien sighed. It was his own fault. He should have seen it coming… 

“And here I thought we were having a serious conversation. Really, Plagg? You’re gonna choose now to be an asshat?”

The black kwami rose to hover in front of his face, his fur blending in seamlessly with the shadows. Poking Adrien in the nose with a paw, Plagg’s radioactive eyes narrowed in annoyance. “Yeah, I am. You know why? ‘Cause you’re not dead yet. But if you try facing down Hawkmoth with that piss poor attitude, you won’t stand a chance. So instead of writing yourself off, oh I don’t know, maybe try focusing on why you want to live through this!” 

“Is this your idea of a pep talk?” Adrien asked dryly, fighting back a smirk as the weight bearing down on his shoulder seemed to lessen a bit.

“Well someone has to tell you this shit since we both know you won’t figure it out on your own!” Plagg bristled. “Now try and keep up, okay. You want to be with your little girlfriend, yeah? Then own it. Use it. Don’t let Mothbutt take that away from you. And for fucks sake, don’t waste the time you do have with her crying about it.” 

“Aww Plagg, you do care,” Adrien cooed with matching sarcasm.

“I don’t do the caring thing. This is what I'm reduced to when I'm surrounded by idiots. This talking stuff...” the cat kwami pulled a face, shuddering, “Its gross, Adrien. I mean it. Every time I have to do this I die a little inside.”

Laughter bubbled up inside of Adrien at his kwami’s disgusted expression. Plagg’s grumpy way showing of support was taking the edge off of the uneasy feeling that plagued him and he was grateful. Most people would be offended by Plagg’s coarse disposition but he knew the destructive fur-ball had his back and it was a measure of comfort to know he wasn’t going it alone.  

Grinning, Adrien gave Plagg a scratch between his pointy ears and bit back a snicker as the kwami began to purr. “You know you love me.”

He snatched his hand back just in time to narrowly avoid a swipe of teeny-tiny, deceptively sharp claws.

 

* * *

 

“Why do Mondays always suck?”

Marinette’s miserable question was punctuated by the slamming of her locker door harder than was truly necessary.

Adrien offered Marinette a sympathetic smile, slinging his arm across her shoulders as they started off toward the library. “I’m pretty sure it’s a universal thing.”

His gorgeous not-girlfriend glanced up, her cheeks pinkening as he tightened his hold in a brief squeeze. It took physical effort not to stop in the middle of the crowded hallway and kiss her.  

“I’m beginning to wonder if the universe is trying to tell me something,” she sighed, hugging her binder to her chest. “Out of four classes so far today I’ve had three pop quizzes. I completely forgot to finish my literature homework and I wiped out in Mlle. Vastine’s classroom again.” 

“I’m sorry you’re having a rough day,” he soothed like the doting not-boyfriend that he was.

Marinette’s smile turned genuine. “Its okay now.”

This was the first moment they’d had alone all morning and her proximity teased his senses. He wanted to bury his nose in her hair and pull her flush against his side… or take it a step further and find a quiet spot where he could hold her tight and nibble on her neck-  

Aaaand he needed to stop right about now before his mind wandered any farther down that road and things became really uncomfortable down south. 

“Are you leaving for lunch?” she asked, snapping his attention back to the present.

Adrien had thought about texting Gorilla but he wasn’t really hungry or in the mood to suffocate in the mausoleum his father called home. He’d also declined tagging along with Nino on his weekly record store adventure, knowing the minute they stepped into the store he’d lose his best bud to the thrill of discounted vinyl. 

“Nah. I think I’ll start doing research for my history paper.”

Marinette hummed in response and Adrien reluctantly released his hold as they entered the library. He watched her walk to the table where Alya and Mylène were spreading out their civics textbooks and purposely claimed a seat two tables over. 

It would be counterproductive to sit next to Marinette if he wanted to concentrate and actually get work done. Their time together Friday night was on a constant loop playing in the background of his thoughts. It wouldn’t take much to bring it all front and center. Once that happened he wouldn’t be worth crap. 

- _He would just sit there and daydream, watching Marinette with vacant eyes and a dopey smile as the good kind of butterflies played rugby in his stomach and his heart swelled so big that it might just float away taking all of his higher brain functions right along with it which probably wasn’t a good thing since he wouldn’t come back down to earth until an instructor or a teacher or a tailor wielding a wicked sharp pin scolded him and then he’d turn red as an apple because it felt like they knew exactly what he was thinking but those were his memories and he wasn’t sharing them damn it_ -

 Not that Adrien knew this from experience or anything. Nope. No sir. Not. At. All.  

Thankfully, the quiet atmosphere of the library was very conducive to Adrien’s focus and not even a full forty minutes later he had managed to complete his outline, compile a list of sources and begin a rough draft of the introduction. He was so involved in his work that he almost yelped when his phone silently vibrated in his pocket.

Mari: [I require assistance…]

A quick glance proved Marinette’s seat to be empty as Alya and Mylène poured over their own work with occasional murmurs.

[oh really?]

Mari: [Short people problems. The struggle is real. I’m in the political science section.]

[lol. omw]

The sight that greeted Adrien once he maneuvered his way through the maze of bookshelves had him clap a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

There was Marinette, in all of her clumsy glory, trying to balance on her tiptoes while precariously teetering on the edge on the second to bottom shelf and still about two inches too short from reaching the top shelf. But then her hand holding on for purchase slipped and her arms began to windmill frantically as she teetered backward-

Marinette landed against his chest with a soft oof, her bangs rising with the puff of air. Her bottomless blue eyes blinked up at his jade stare, her lips curling sheepishly. Adrien willed his heart to stop trying to crawl out of his throat, once again incredibly grateful for his alter ego and subsequent agile reflexes.   

“Are you trying to mock the universe?” he whispered, his tone somewhere between admonishment and teasing.

“No...?”  

Shaking his head, Adrien set her back on her feet. “Which one?”

“Third from the left, please.”

Adrien didn't look away from her as he reached for said book. He didn’t even have to stretch. Marinette narrowed her eyes at his impish grin, folding her arms.  

“Showoff,” she muttered, her lips twitching. But when she reached to take the acquired book, he pulled it back and held it up out of her reach. “Adrien…” she warned. 

He cast a quick glance around, making sure the coast was clear. Then his grin widened. “I demand payment for my services,” he winked.

“Why am I not surprised?” she sighed in mock annoyance, losing the battle to keep a straight face.

Adrien tapped his cheek and leaned down as she moved closer… 

...and gasped, completely unprepared when Marinette turned his face to press her mouth to his. 

The kiss was hard and quick but it was the desperate edge that stole his breath away and the teasing taste of her tongue that had him trying really hard not to push her up against the nearest stack of shelves so it could it last just a little longer- A soft nearly silent groan escaped Marinette and then it was over far too soon but still totally worth the stinging in his lips as she pulled away. He didn’t even realize she’d plucked the book right out of his hand until she waved it at him with a swollen lipped smirk and then sauntered out of sight.  

Well… 

Point one for Marinette.

Adrien didn’t know how long he stood there, staring sightlessly after her, sporting a goofy smile and one hell of a stiffy. 

What he did know was that next time victory would be his and he already had an idea….

 

* * *

 

Chat wasn’t certain what to expect when he arrived for patrol that night. Ladybug hadn’t contacted him to meet up sooner and given the situation, that could either be a good thing or it could be the first sign of trouble. When he found his partner standing on the roof’s edge, looking out over the city lights with a conflicted expression, his anxiety returned full force.

“My Lady,” he greeted smoothly, coming to crouch down at her side. He followed her gaze out over the skyline, the angry flick of his tail belying his calm facade.   

“Hey kitty,” she replied, absently reaching out to give his head a brief scratch. He leaned into the touch and waited, sensing she was trying to collect her thoughts. It didn’t take long. “So do you want me to start with Master Fu’s disturbing explanation or why Tikki and I got into a huge argument last night?”  

That was not the opening he expected. “Uh…” Chat blinked. “Master Fu, I guess.”

“Goodness, that man loves to talk in circles,” Ladybug sighed, tired frustration echoing in her statement as she gracefully folded her legs beneath her to take a seat. “After asking questions for two hours, two long hours… the only information I managed to get out of him is that Hawkmoth’s kwami bestows temporary power through his butterflies but the reverse can also be achieved, with the right tools.” 

“So basically you’re telling me Hawkmoth can use his kwami’s power like a magical electromagnetic pulse and drain our kwami’s power in a snap?” he asked uneasily.

“Yes,” she nodded, “but it comes with a price. It will drain his Akuma as well. Which makes sense because once Hotshot used his amped up attack he was struggling after that.”

Maybe there was a bit of a silver lining after all.

“Is it safe to assume that Hawkmoth only gets one chance to use it?””

“It’s possible. Master Fu didn’t have anything to add beyond that. I even asked if he knew what kind of tools Hawkmoth could have but he said that was knowledge that would come from his kwami and it would not be imparted willingly,” she said sadly.  

Chat bristled, his tail lashing. “It’s not surprising the fucking psychopath would mistreat his kwami too.”

He could only imagine what the poor kwami was being subjected to in Hawkmoth’s care and each scenario that came to mind was somehow worse than the last. For a kwami to be forced to work against its very nature… that was abuse. Not that the physical and psychological abuse of a magical being would hold up in a court of law but Chat Noir would not hesitate to play judge, jury and executioner when he could finally sink his claws into Hawkmoth once and for all.

“All the more reason we need to get the butterfly miraculous back where it belongs.”

Side eyeing his partner, Chat admired the determined conviction that seemed to radiate off the spotted heroine and knew just by stubborn set of her jaw and the narrowing of her eyes, that her thoughts were the same as his. They would show no mercy to Hawkmoth when the time came. It had to be done.

Relaxing out of his crouch and bracing his arms across his knees, Chat took a deep, calming breath before his agitation could turn into righteous fury. He suspected that Plagg’s anger might be fueling his along and right now he needed a clear head. There was still more to this that he needed to get to the bottom of.

Since his partner brought it up he figured it must be relevant and decided to jump right in. 

“Speaking of kwami’s… what was this argument you had with Tikki?”

Ladybug tensed, her luminous blue gaze skittering out over the city scape once more, “It was more of a… very loud stalemate. I vented my frustrations and she called me out on some things that I’ve been selfish about and… well... at the moment we... are agreeing to disagree,” she admitted hesitantly.

“And I’m guessing this involves Hawkmoth in some way?”

She nodded, still not meeting his concerned stare. “Okay, hear me out... How many akuma victims have there been? Over a hundred, at least, right?”

“One hundred and twenty eight,” he answered promptly.

“And how many of them do you know personally? As a civilian?”  

Chilling cold slithered along Chat’s spine, making the hairs on his neck stand on end. He’d never really thought about it in that context before but yes, he knew  a lot of the akuma victims, some just from seeing them in the local area and others on a far more personal level.

He didn’t have to say a word, his partner already knew the answer and smiled grimly. 

“Too many to be a coincidence,” she said, answering her own question, “for me too.”

How had he overlooked that? Friends, classmates, teachers, his bodyguard, his own father...

Chat swallowed hard, his heart jack-hammering in his chest. “Are you trying to say Hawkmoth knows who we are?”

If the son-of-a-bitch knew his identity then it was only a matter of time before he targeted Marinette. 

Marinette…

She had never been akumatized. Besides himself, she was the only other person in their class at Dupont that hadn’t been emotionally violated. Whatever luck had spared her, he was profoundly thankful and vehemently hoped that luck continued to hold out. 

But if Hawkmoth knew… NO! He wouldn't let that happen. He'd rip the motherfucker apart limb from limb first- 

Ladybug stifled his rising panic with a firm shake of her head. “If he knows who we are he would have attacked us directly by now. It’s more likely he’s narrowed in on our location.” Which was not really a better conclusion but he forced that thought away as she explained, “Think about it, we’ve only had one lead in four years. Just one and it was a bust. Even now, we’re still no closer to finding him because he takes the fight to us. But most of the akuma attacks we’ve faced have been in this arrondissement or in the ones directly surrounding it. And don’t forget he’s targeted some people more than once. That’s not random. That’s a deliberate process of elimination.”

How the fuck had he missed this? 

All this time it was staring him right in the face.

“Then how do we bring the fight to Hawkmoth? He could still be anywhere.” Chat snarled, self directed anger causing a low growl to vibrate in his throat.

“Or he’s close by as well. Right under our noses. Hiding in plain sight.”

That would be the ultimate irony. To find out Hawkmoth was someone they’d crossed paths with on the street, maybe even said hello to in passing. Not quite as ironic as when they’d suspected his father but still just as unsettling and frustrating.

But really, what were the odds? 

Paris was a large, densely populated city. If Hawkmoth was literally someone they knew, operating “right under their noses” as his partner suggested, then that wasn’t just irony or coincidence, that was goddamn destiny. Like the kind of shit that made people believe in fate and divine intervention and soulmates...

Ladybug knew a lot of akuma victims as well.

Ladybug arrived on the scene just as quickly as he did, sometimes quicker.

Even when the attacks happened at _his_ school, she was there as fast he was, which should not be possible when she was in school as well… 

...somewhere else?

A vague memory of Alya crowing triumphantly over finding a history textbook that belonged to Ladybug… the very same textbook he’d used at Dupont…

Maybe they did know Hawkmoth.

And he’d bet money that he knew Ladybug too.

Because as far fetched as all this seemed and with a million to one odds not stacked in their favor… of course it was the most improbable outcome that would be the answer. They were teenagers that had become superheros literally out of the blue. Considering that, this whole situation was one cluster fuck of outrageous and unbelievable events from the very start.

Chat was beginning to think nothing would surprise him anymore. 

“If there’s a chance we know Hawkmoth as a civilian, then we know each other too, don’t we?” he asked, not missing the way his partner seemed to flinch. If he didn’t know better he would say she seemed nervous.

“Actually, that’s what Tikki and I argued about. She insists that we should keep our anonymity, now more than ever. I disagree.”  

Okay, so maybe he could still be a little surprised. 

“You think we should reveal our identities now?” he gaped.

She nodded, her shoulders hitching as she kept her gaze well away from his own incredulous stare. 

“We’ve waited this long. What’s a little more time?” 

Ladybug visibly tensed, her hands clenching into fists where they rested in her lap. “If I don’t tell you then it keeps you at a disadvantage.”

It took a second for her words to make sense. Then Chat’s eyes flew wide. “Wait… you already know who I am?”

“Yes,” she admitted, distress creeping into her voice. “I didn’t mean to figure it out, I swear. It just... happened. I’m so sorry.”

Not that Ladybug had to apologize. If she had asked he would have told her. Simple as that. Still, it didn’t come without possible repercussions. 

“Now that you know, does it change anything?” 

It was a fair question because his true name could change everything.

“No,” she answered earnestly. “You’re still my best friend, Chat. Tikki, on the other hand, is worried about our dynamic shifting and I can see her point. Yesterday was awful. I was terrified you were seriously hurt and it was worse knowing that if something were to happen to you there would be this huge hole in my life on both sides of this,” she said, tapping her mask before scrubbing a hand over her glassy eyes. 

“We’re friends?” But even as he asked Chat felt silly because of course they would be friends in their normal lives. Ladybug was the type of person he would gravitate toward. She was genuine and kind; two things that had been lacking in his life since his mother’s death.

“You could say that.” A pale copy of her familiar smirk twisted her lips. “If this was only about me, I would tell you everything in a heartbeat. But as much as I believe we need to be open with each other, Tikki had some valid reasons to keep quiet. Please understand… I trust you and I want you to know, I really do, but I can’t ignore the danger this puts my family in, especially now…” 

Ladybug was scared. 

It was like a knife in his chest when her tears began to fall. Scooting over to her side, Chat wrapped his arm around his partner’s shoulders and squeezed, “Hey, it’s okay. You have something worth protecting and I get it, I do. You’ll tell me when you can and that’s alright. Now, please stop crying,” he pleaded.

She nodded before letting her head drop against his bicep. “That still leaves Hawkmoth,” she pointed out, her voice scratchy and waterlogged.

“If he can track us through pattern recognition then we can do the same. He thinks he has the upper hand but there is a trail he’s leaving. We just need to find it.”

“Great. I’ve always wanted to search for a needle in a haystack,” she quipped, sniffling.

Giving her one last squeeze, Chat pulled away and rose lithely to his feet before reaching down and tugging her up as well. “Come on. I don’t know about you but I brainstorm better when I’m distracted. Let’s patrol and I’m sure we’ll come up with a starting point.”

They took to the roofs, expending energy and trading ideas. Chat let his mind wander while his muscles moved by memory. By the time they had completed the Monday night route and looped around back to the beginning they agreed that Ladybug would focus on the victims and Chat would focus on location and dates. They felt confident they would discover something useful between their joint efforts.

It was a relief to see that Ladybug was more or less back to her upbeat self by the time they parted ways. But their conversation lingered on his mind and the curiosity prickled under his skin, like an itch he couldn’t quite reach.

Who was Ladybug under her mask?

The question teased him the entire run to the mansion. But as Chat slipped in through his bedroom window he realized there was a far more important question to ask. 

Just how well did Adrien Agreste really know his friends?

Perhaps it was time to find out.

Taking out his baton, Chat fired off a quick text to his partner.

[You told me so I would figure it out myself, didn’t you?] 

Her response was immediate.

Ladybug: [Clever kitty. I’m closer than you think.]

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone that's taking the time to read this silly fic. I truly appreciate every review, kudos and bookmark y'all give. Unfortunately, I'm not a fast writer so I can't commit to a schedule but know that I will post as soon as I possibly can.
> 
> So for more cannon divergences... in this fic Adrien's mother is dead. I'm sure she'll get brought up again but for good or bad you'll just have to keep reading to see. As far as the power boost I'm giving Hawkmoth, totally making this shit up as I go so take it all with a grain of salt. Its not cannon and that's about all I can say. Well that and poor, poor Nooroo...
> 
> Sorry if the tone of this chapter was a little more angsty than expected after the smexy fluff-fest last chapter but we need this for plot development. Things will lighten up a for a bit but... well, y'all might hate me for what I've got planned later... 
> 
> Nah. You guys will love it. And I love you. You guys are the best!


	5. Dirty Little Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bring a toothbrush. The fluff is strong with this one...

 

There was a method to Adrien’s madness.

Under the early morning sun, sitting on one of the many concrete benches dotting the courtyard of Lycée Anriette Perault, Adrien hunched over his composition notebook and scribbled down every little bit of personal information that he could recall about Ladybug in a tidy column. Then his brow furrowed, a slight sinking feeling settling in his stomach as he realized just how pathetically little he really knew about one of his supposed best friends.

_Attended Collège Françoise Dupont_

_Favorite color is pink_

_Fan of Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale_

_Likes to sew_

Honestly, Adrien wasn’t really sure how that was going to help him narrow down his search. 

Sighing, he started another column beside it listing all the possible contenders that also went to Dupont. It wasn’t a long list, mostly his direct classmates and a handful of others that he’d made acquaintance with. But then Ladybug’s text flashed in his mind and Adrien scratched off the extra names. She said she was close to him and by definition that narrowed down the list a lot.

So out of his former classmates…

Alix Kubdel...

She did have pink hair. He wasn’t sure about her music preferences but her hobbies were definitely sports related, everyone knew that. But she was going to a different lycée now and they only kept in touch through social media.

Adrien striked out her name. 

Juleka Couffaine…

He raised his eyes from his notebook and scanned the growing number of loitering students, finding her tall figure and tipped purple hair sticking out in the thin crowd. 

Call it a hunch but Adrien had the feeling pink was not her color. The music preference was spot on though but he couldn’t recall Jukela saying she liked sewing. Like her brother, she was into music and was wicked awesome with a guitar. 

Juleka was tall though. The miraculouses did change appearance slightly but the drastic height difference between Ladybug and his classmate seemed a bit much and… 

It wasn’t her. 

Adrien scratched Juleka’s name off the list.

Rose Lavillant…

His scrutiny shifted to the petite blond tucked under the taller girl’s arm.

Well… he was pretty sure Rose was shorter than his partner by comparison. But she definitely liked pink. And they were fans of the same music. But Rose was into art, not sewing. And her hair was blond, not a deep indigo. And Rose’s eyes… while just as kind and caring…

They were the wrong shade of blue.

It wasn’t her either.

He scored a line through Rose’s name.

Mylène Haprèle…

Adrien tapped his pen against the lined paper as he took a good look at the girl in question from where she perched on her boyfriend’s lap across the courtyard. She looked up at Ivan, her cute, round face lighting up with laughter at some something the boy said and the fondness in his answering grin made Adrien crack a smile too.

He still thought they made the cutest fucking couple ever.

No. It wasn’t Mylène.

He crossed out her name as well.

Lila Rossi...

Adrien hadn’t heard heads or tails of the pathological liar since she returned to Italy. 

As far as he was concerned, good riddance.

He scratched through her name with a little more force that was absolutely necessary. 

Sabrina Raincomrpix…

Adrien considered the strawberry blond and her sycophantic tendencies where Chloé was concerned. No, the personality was all wrong. Ladybug didn’t follow anyone’s tune but her own and she certainly wouldn’t have partaken in some of the questionable activities Sabrina had been roped into on Chloé’s behalf.

Not to mention he’d only seen Sabrina in passing maybe three times since she and Chloe were attending a different lycée.

No. Sabrina was most certainly _not_ his partner.

He crossed her name out too.

 Chloé Bourgeois...   

Well... he was closer to Chloé  than the other former classmates he’d listed. But Chloé  as Ladybug?

Yeah…

That was a resounding fuck no.

For soooo many reasons...

Adrien swiped a line through that name.

That left Alya, only the biggest Ladybug fan girl ever and moderator of the Ladyblog. And for as many of Alya’s interviews that Chat Noir had been present for, he knew first hand it simply wasn’t physically possible for Alya to be LB.

Really, it wasn’t possible for anyone he’d listed to be Ladybug since every single one of his classmates had been akumatized at one point or another, in some cases more than once. But Adrien had made the list and considered each possibility just to be thorough because there was one name he hadn’t added to the list. 

One name that he was trying really hard not to acknowledge, even in his head because… 

because it....

...it clicked, like a perfectly shaped puzzle piece falling into place so flawlessly that even the seams were invisible revealing a complete picture that knocked his heart into his ribs with ruthlessly painful abandon.

There was only one person he knew that had sat behind him in class everyday for two years at Dupont, who’s favorite color was definitely pink, who’s love for Jagged Stone was only rivaled by Clara Nightingale, who had a _thing_ for sewing and designing...

And if that wasn’t coincidental enough… 

Marinette had never been akumatized.

But the real kicker, the part that really hooked into Adrien like vicious claws sinking into his belly, was that he really, really, really wanted it to be true. 

Because wouldn’t that just make his whole situation easier. No more lying. No more hiding. No more guilt. The blessed reprieve from being caught between his heart’s desire and his appointed duty and feeling drawn and quartered only to be ripped apart in opposite directions. 

Yeah, he was selfish enough to want the easy way out. Never mind that comparing Marinette to Ladybug was unfair and a pretty shitty thing to do when he still had lingering feelings for his partner that were decidedly not platonic. But that was yet another dick move that he could absolve himself of if the two girls he loved just happened to be one in the same.

At this point Adrien felt he should have better odds of finding out that Gabriel stick-up-my-ass Agreste really was Hawkmoth afterall. 

There was no way it could be that simple. Black cats didn’t have that kind of luck. 

Yet, the facts were staring Adrien in the face. He wasn't making it up and it wasn’t just a case of wishful thinking. All signs were pointing to Marinette and that was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

If Adrien considered the physical aspects too then the evidence was even more damning. Their height was the same, the top of both girl’s heads barely reaching his chin. Their eyes were practically the same, from the way just a stare could cut straight through him right down to the shade that reminded him of a field of bluebells on a sunny day. Thanks to Ladybug’s suit that left nothing of her slender figure to the imagination, it wasn’t that hard to recognize that Marinette had the same willowy frame and gentle curves complete with creamy cashmere skin that he’d kill to have under his fingertips once more-

It couldn’t be.

Could it?

It was just a coincidence that Marinette wore black, post earrings the same exact size and style as Ladybug’s miraculous, right?

_I’m closer than you think..._

In light of recent events, there was no one closer to him than Marinette.

Adrien flinched as a hand clapped him on the shoulder. 

But not literally, apparently.

“Hey dude,” Nino greeted, tugging down his headphones and turning off his phone before slipping it in his pocket and flopping down beside his bro. “Whatcha working on?”

Adrien slammed the notebook shut and shrugged, “Nothing.” Noticing the grin tugging at Nino’s mouth, the way his fingers drummed against his knee even as it bounced slightly, Adrien arched a blond brow in question. “You look way too excited for school this morning.”  

“Guess who’s got two thumbs and a summer gig dropping sick beats at the arcade?” Pointing said thumbs at his chest, Nino gave him a toothy smile. “This guy.”

Genuinely happy for his friend, Adrien pushed aside the Mari-Bug conundrum he faced and focused on Nino’s good news excitedly. “That’s awesome, man. I knew you’d get the job.” 

“Glad you did. I was pretty sure I botched the interview,” the taller boy laughed. “Alya tried to prepare me but I was a nervous wreck the whole time.”

“But it all worked out,” Adrien grinned. “When do you start?”

“Last weekend in May…” Nino paused, ticking off dates on his finger, “so in two weeks. I’ll work every Thursday, Friday and Saturday throughout summer and if they like the way I work I may have the chance to stay on part time during terminale year. I hope they keep me. I want to save up as much money as I can while I have the chance.”

An uncomfortable feeling settled in Adrien’s stomach, a familiar ache that reared its ugly head whenever the conversation turned to the direction of the future. His smile dimmed, shifting into something closer to a wince as he shook his head. “You really are committed to that crazy plan of yours, huh?” 

“Dude, gap year is gonna be so sweet. Amsterdam, London and New York. Can you imagine the hands on experience I can get from the club scenes there? And the connections I could make?”

Adrien could imagine… and it wasn’t all positive.  

He might have been sheltered and led about with a short leash, but there were certain truths that came with living a privileged life in the spotlight. Gabriel didn’t simply expect his son to exhibit exceptional behavior at all times, he’d also made a point to show Adrien what was acceptable and what was not. Because of that Adrien had seen first hand what went on behind the scenes at the elite after parties in the club scene. He was no stranger to the cocaine nose bleeds, the compromised decisions made in the midst of a drunken stupor, even the irrational antics of someone hallucinating out of their mind.

Gabriel had made sure that Adrien was aware of the cause of such distasteful behavior. Then he’d made sure his son read the tabloids to witness the inevitable fall out after the fact. As a result Adrien had no desire to imitate that same destructive behavior. 

A part of him worried that Nino might get sucked in, though.  

A different part worried his best bro might leave him behind and just not return at all. 

“If you come back to Paris with a crazy drug addiction or weird fetishes I’m going to say I told you so every chance I get. I’m warning you now, you’ll never live it down,” Adrien joked... only he was kind of dead serious too.

“That’s why Alya is coming with me,” his friend replied easily. “She’ll keep me in line.”

“That’s not comforting, man. This is _Alya_ we’re talking about. The girl who makes breaking rules a personal challenge,” Adrien scoffed, his lips curling upward reluctantly. Then he chuckled. ”Never mind. I stand corrected. You won't have time to pick up any bad habits, you’ll be too busy keeping your girlfriend out of trouble.” 

“True that.” Nino cut him a side-eyed look. “You know... you could always come with us. Teach us the jet setting ropes and stuff. Forget your old man for bit, take a vaycay from modeling. Fucking live a little, dude.”

There was something definitively liberating to Adrien about the idea of packing a duffel bag and leaving his claustrophobic life behind; to just up and walk away from his father’s expectations and grueling schedules, to be a stranger in a strange place with nothing holding him back, to meet new people with no preconceived agendas. 

But...

He couldn’t walk away from Marinette.

He wouldn’t walk away from the mantle of Chat Noir and the responsibility that came with it.

“As tempting a that sounds… I can’t.”

Nino didn’t push. He never did. No matter how many times they’d had similar conversations over the years. 

The darker skinned boy just smiled, pushing up his glasses as he kept an eye out for his girlfriend. “At least come visit us in Amsterdam. You’ve never been there and one week to sow some wild oats won’t kill you. But do me a solid and visit when Mari does because I am not going to be responsible for those two in a foreign country by myself.”

That got a genuine laugh out of Adrien. “If you guys actually convince Mari to go then count me in.” 

Nino held out his fist and Adrien bumped it, sealing the deal. 

“I’m going to hold you to that,” Nino warned and Adrien quickly looked away, willing himself not to blush as his friend’s pointed stare didn’t waver. “I don’t care what you say dude, Mari’s got you so whipped.” 

“She does not!” Adrien hissed. 

Nino snickered. “Whoop-eeesh!”

“Whatever. Shut up!” It was a valiant attempt at deflection but the way Adrien’s face resembled a plum negated the effect. 

Yes, he was whipped and boy oh boy did he know it. 

 

* * *

 

 “I need ideas for this weeks ladyblog post,” Alya groaned, her chin resting in her palm as she glanced around at her lunch companions, “I got nothing.”

Sitting around the small wrought iron table in the cafe’s gated patio, a comfortable breeze ruffled Adrien’s golden hair as he contemplated his friend’s question. “What about the akuma attack Sunday? Is that old news already?”

At his question Marinette sat up a little straighter, her bluebell eyes meeting his for a quick second. The movement caused the over-wide neckline of her burgundy cardigan to slip down her shoulder. Adrien swallowed hard, his adam’s apple bobbing as he tried not to stare hungrily at the graceful curve of her neck where a loose tendril of midnight hair had escaped her messy bun and fluttered teasingly against her pale skin.

Adrien forcibly dragged his attention back to Alya and to the topic at hand. He’d been keeping an eye on reports but thankfully no one had commented on the fact that Chat Noir had sustained an injury. 

Alya wrinkled her nose. “It was a pretty standard fight. A little weird that Chat Noir disappeared there at the end but I snapped a few shots of Blackie and Spots patrolling last night which will suffice but… Ugh!” She dropped her head onto the table punctuating each word with a bang that made their empty dishes rattle as she groaned, “I.. need.. something.. attention.. getting…”

Nino patted her shoulder, wincing. “Babe, it’s okay.”  

“Stop,” Marinette sighed, looking around to see if her dramatic friend was causing a scene, “Al, seriously stop. You don’t have that many brain cells to spare.”

One honey brown eye glared back. “I can’t even be offended by that because it’s the truth.” Abruptly Alya sat up, looking around expectantly. “Come on people. Give me a topic.”

“You haven’t done a poll in a while. It would be a good filler post.” Adrien offered.

“Ok. Not bad, Sunshine.” Alya’s expression turned thoughtful she tapped her chin. “Now I just need a good question to ask.”

Marinette’s eyes flicked back to Adrien for barely a heartbeat before returning to Alya, a faint dusting of pink spreading over her cheeks as she grinned impishly. “Hot or Not: Is Chat Noir ripped or is it the magical suit?” 

It took every ounce of professional training Adrien had to keep his mildly entertained expression from cracking. He knew his alter ego was fucked the minute Alya lit up like a christmas tree. 

“Oooh, I like it,” she gushed, “I haven’t focused on Chat Noir’s drool worthy physique in way too long.”

“Ladies , you should be ashamed of yourselves,” Nino chided with a dry laugh, far too amused by the turn of the conversation to actually come across as  scolding, “Chat Noir is a hero. He risks his life to save the good citizens of Paris. He should not be objectified as a sex symbol.” He jerked his thumb at Adrien. “That’s his job.”

Adrien blinked, then flushed as he realized that not only had Nino thrown him under the bus but decided to run over him with it too. “Dude! Screw you,” he spluttered as Nino bust out into a deep laugh. 

Alya reached reached across the table and patted Adrien’s hand, smirking, “My boy’s got a point. That last underwear ad you did…” she sighed, slapping a hand over her heart, “I thank you for that. Mari thanks you too. Hell, everyone that’s into guys thanks you for that.” 

Matching Alya’s smirk, Adrien shrugged. ”I’d say it was my pleasure but that shoot was a nightmare. You try walking around for hours in nothing but your knickers and see how you like it. It was damn cold.” 

“Not that we could tell…” Marinette sing-songed, giving Adrien a thorough once over despite her flaming face, her insinuation loud and clear.

Did she just… wah… huh? Why was she encouraging this?

Adrien squirmed and wished he could sink beneath the table and never come back out. The heat in Marinette’s stare was inviting enough that he kind of wanted to pull her down with him and really give their friends something to talk about. Then again, if he were under that table he’d be in the right position to-

Marinette winked. 

Oh. Okay. That’s how it was going to be... Fine. Game on.

Adrien summoned his most disarming smile and leaned back in his chair, the red tinge to his cheeks the only evidence that he wasn’t as calm and blasé as his body language suggested. He arched a brow at Marinette silently daring her to keep going. She was only digging her own grave and they both knew it.

Looking back and forth between them, Alya eyes widened. “Guurl!” 

Nino leaned closer to whisper, “You holding out on me, bro?”

Marinette broke eye contact first and turned her gaze down to her half empty glass, taking a long sip from her straw as she shifted in her seat. 

Adrien decided now was a good time to redirect the conversation. “What is going on here? Why are you guys picking on me?” he pouted with devastating success.  

Alya’s gaze flickered between Adrien and Marinette once more before she sighed, resigning herself to grilling her friend later when he wasn’t around. “Let’s face it Sunshine, you’re adorbs when you’re flustered.”

“I’m a model. I do not get flustered,” Adrien sniffed disdainfully. 

“In that case puce is a very good color on you,” Alya shot back not missing a beat, sticking out her tongue for good measure.

The only self-respecting response to such blatant immaturity was to give her the finger discreetly as Adrien pretended to scratch his cheek. The entire table erupted into laughter.

“With charm like that, it’s amazing that you're still single,” Alya tisked, watching Marinette through the corner of her eye.

“There is one up side to dating Adrien. You don't have to buy him lunch because he doesn't eat,” Nino teased pointing to the sugary, caramel and mocha coffee monstrosity that Adrien had ordered in lieu of real food.

“And he’d always have good style advice,” Marinette added, smiling sweetly. 

Alya just rolled her eyes. “The problem is that he always looks perfect. Like... I bet Adrien can… can just roll out of bed and he’s ready for the runway or something equally unfair to rest of us normal folk.”

“Clearly you have never seen me at five in the morning,” Adrien deadpanned. 

“That depends, do you sleep naked?”

Nino snickered at Marinette as she jerked and nearly knocked over her drink, shooting her best friend an alarmed look. “Alya!”

The red-head just smiled innocently. “This is me aspiring to be a good journalist. This is the stuff we ladies need to know. Someone has to ask the tough questions.”

With similar intensity to a shark smelling blood in the water, Adrien paid close attention to Marinette’s beautiful face as he went in for the kill. “It’s no fun if I tell you. But feel free to speculate away. I will admit that I have no sense of modesty. I’ve been well trained to strip down on command anytime, anywhere,” he purred.

He expected to give Marinette a taste of her own medicine. He didn’t expect her to choke on her drink and promptly fall out of her chair in a flurry of flailing limbs, landing hard on her derriere. 

“Shit!” Jumping out of his seat, Adrien crouched down and rubbed Marinette’s back soothingly until her coughs subsided. “Sorry, Mari.”

Giving him the stink eye, she wheezed, “Are you trying to kill me?”

Adrien might have felt guilty if she hadn’t been teasing him mercilessly as of late. He might have even taken pity on her if she were anyone else. But Marinette could take as good as she could give and honestly, after her little stunt earlier she was asking for it.

“Nah,” he replied with a lopsided grin. “I just like it when you look at me like that.”

“Like what?” she breathed as he took her hands and pulled her up to her feet.  

Adrien leaned in close, practically nose to nose, as he invaded Marinette’s personal space, not letting go of her hands so she could retreat. “Like you wanna eat me up,” he winked.

Marinette eeped. 

Point one for Adrien

Alya slapped her boyfriend on the shoulder. “Damn! Why don't you talk to me like that?”

Nino, in his ever present state of chill, just turned to his girlfriend and asked, “Do we need to buy them condoms? Cuz I'm thinking we probably should.”

Adrien, suddenly reminded of their audience, let go of his not-girlfriend and turned to Nino to give his bestie a what-the-fuck glare. “Dude!”

Nino grinned. “Duuuude! Next time get a room.” 

 

* * *

 

 Marinette was always fascinating.

For being such a tiny little thing she was so incredibly expressive, a veritable kaleidoscope of emotion, and it never took long for whatever Marinette was feeling to shine through. Even when Adrien hadn’t understood her, he’d always enjoyed observing her. 

It used to amuse him to no end back in secondary school when she couldn’t speak to him without spouting nonsensical gibberish. It had become something far more fond in lycée once she’d made an effort to get past his pretty face and become one of his closest friends. But now that things between them had changed and grown, it was damn near impossible for Adrien to look away and not to soak in every little detail about her whenever she was in his line of sight. 

Marinette had even captivated him in her sleep as he’d lain wide awake beside her, feeling at home in her small bed with her warm body tucked against his as he held onto her as tightly as he dared. It was probably creepy as fuck but he’d shamelessly stared at her, watching her breathe evenly in the moonlit darkness as a gentle melody played in his head, one he’d roughly jotted down to tinker with on the piano later.  

Goddamn he was a fucking sappy bastard.   

Laughing silently at his own ridiculousness, Adrien leaned casually against the locker beside hers, his arms crossed as he waited for Marinette who was talking softly under her breath as she rummaged around in her locker, completely oblivious to his presence.

As Marinette closed her locker door Adrien made himself known from around the other side of it. “Who are you talking to?” he asked, though he had his suspicions.

“Gyah!” she shrieked, stumbling back a step as her entire body went ram-rod stiff with her shoulders hitching up to her ears. Then she realized exactly who had startled her and if her glare was a focused laser beam Adrien was pretty sure there wouldn’t even be ashes left of him to float to the ground. “I hate you,” she muttered with a roll of her eyes as she stalked away. 

Ahh. She’d spoken. That was an improvement. Marinette had been studiously ignoring him since the “incident” at lunch.

Falling into step beside her, he couldn’t help resting his hand on her shoulder, the desire to have contact with her nearly overwhelming. Willing to risk coming across as a jerk, he decided to push the issue, watching her closely. “Seriously, who were you taking to just now?”

“Myself,” she replied, but the word lilted up at the end like a question as Marinette’s glare faltered and she looked away. “Why?” 

Under his hand her shoulder remained tense. 

“Just curious,” he smirked. “You really should know by now that curiosity is a pawful flaw of mine.” 

Marinette almost stumbled.

Was that a bit much? Maybe he should tone it down. He was almost completely certain that his Mari-bug hunch was correct, but he could still be wrong.... Shit! That was probably a bad idea.

“We’ve upgraded to cat puns now? How lovely,” she quipped in reply, the faintest tremor underlying her teasing tone.

“Don’t worry Mari, I won’t bug you too much.”

Yup. He went there. 

“Is this pay back because I think Chat Noir is totally hot?”

And she just had to go there.

“I am a little jealous. I mean, how can I compete for your affections with a superhero?” he joked, not really sure what the hell was happening.

“Says the biggest Ladybug fan boy ever.” There was a hint of something in her words, something he couldn’t quite place but was made even more apparent when she refused to meet his eyes.

Okay… so maybe Marinette moonlighting as Ladybug wouldn’t make their situation easier right away. The convenience didn’t erase years of misunderstandings and misguided feelings. It couldn’t fix things they weren’t brave enough to talk about.

He’d spent years loving the enigma of Ladybug, swearing he’d love the girl under the mask just as much only to be so blinded by his obsession that he couldn’t see she was right in front of him all along. And now that Marinette was finally within reach, warm and real and not high on some imagined pedestal, he had to treat her like she was some kind of dirty secret. He couldn’t hold her hand or pull her into his arms so that she knew without a doubt he was where he wanted to be because someone might see.

Fuck. That. Shit.

Fuck his father and what he’d think of his son having a girlfriend. 

Fuck the tabloids and magazines that would have a field day making a spectacle of their realtionship. 

Fuck the nameless, faceless fans that would talk shit about Marinette just because he’d chosen her over anyone else. 

Fuck Ladybug and Chat Noir for makng an already complcated sitiatuon and thousand times more fucking complicated.

Fuck all of it.

Not caring who might be watching, Adrien pulled Marinette closer, tucking her against his side as he leaned down to whisper against her ear, “No one has ever turned me inside out the way _you_ do. And you know what?” he asked, gently stroking his thumb along the column of her throat, eating up the way she shivered. “I don’t ever want you to stop.” 

The soft smile that quirked the corner of her lips was achingly sweet and just a touch reproachful. It was even cuter when she wrinkled her nose. “You can’t say stuff like that, Adrien.”

“Why not? It’s the truth.” 

“When you’re deliberately charming all I want to do is kiss you and one of us has to be reasonable,” she explained, reluctantly slipping from his hold as they reached the main doors and stepped outside. 

It was such a Ladybug response that Adrien could clearly imagine a spotted mask covering her eyes as she spoke. The more he paid attention the more convinced he became that Marinette was indeed his no nonsense partner.    

Glancing toward the street, her expression clouded. “Your ride is here. You’d better go.”

Without thinking he started to reach for her but then remembered Gorilla was watching and jammed his hand in his pockets instead. ”When can I see you again?”  

Cocking her head slightly, Marinette thought for a moment, seeming to steel herself as she grinned. “From now on I’ll leave my skylight unlocked.” She didn’t stick around to gauge his reaction, instead calling over her shoulder, “Consider it an open invitation.”

Adrien watched her scamper away, his heart fluttering in his chest. 

“Hey Plagg?” he whispered, ducking his head as he started off toward the town car.

“Yeah,” came the muffled reply from his pocket.

“I think Mari knows I’m Chat Noir.”

“You’re not exactly subtle, kid. Next time wake me when there’s a real crisis.”

 

* * *

 

It had taken a little ingenuity and a pit stop at the best gelato shop in the city after his piano lessons at the conservatory but Chat Noir was impressed at what his little romantic heart could come up with when given proper incentive. Giving one last inspection of his handy work, he dropped his transformation.

“What do you think, Plagg?”

Glancing around the small balcony area, his kwami shrugged. “Not really my style. But you’re not trying to have sex with me so what I think doesn’t matter.” 

“Plagg! I’m not… that’s not what… ugh! Nevermind.”

“Relax, kid. She’ll like it.” Stretching his tiny body, Plagg yawned widely, his fangs glinting under the softly glowing string of lights hanging overhead. “I’d say have fun but there’s probably some cosmic law that says I shouldn’t encourage you to make poor life choices.”

“We’re not having sex.”

“And I’m not bad luck incarnate.” The cat kwami blinked innocently. “Oh wait. I am. Whaddya know.”

“Plagg…” 

“I take that back. Have fun. Have _all_ the fun. Just don’t name it after me.”

Ignoring his smartass kwami, Adrien pulled out his phone and took a deep breath.  It was stupid to have butterflies in his stomach but there they were, fluttering around his insides with enough force to make his hands shake as he tapped out a short text to Marinette. 

[come up to the roof plz]

As he waited for her response, he began to doubt the genius of his plan. Was ten o’clock on a school night too late for him to be on her terrace? Maybe she wouldn’t want company. 

Mari: [should I bring a snack?]

_Well, can’t be a scaredy cat now..._

[Nope. just you.]

He fought the urge to fidget, clutching his phone in a white knuckled grip instead. What if she didn’t like his surprise? It was cheesy. She was sooo going to laugh at him.

“Show time, kid.” Plagg warned before zipping away. Suddenly there was shuffling and footsteps coming from the bedroom below and Adrien’s heart kicked into overdrive.

The skylight opened and Marinette’s soft voice broke the tense quiet “Adrien?” She took his offered hand to help her up and then gasped, her eyes going wide as she took in the changes he made to her balcony space. “What is this?” she asked, her voice filled with wonder. 

He figured it was pretty obvious, with the thick blanket he had spread out over the terrace floor and the throw pillows he’d brought from his couch strewn about. The unexpected part was the second blanket that covered most of the open space like a canopy with one end attached to the makeshift awning in the corner and the other end secured to the metal railing. The pièce de résistance that finished off the effect was a star light projector that lit up the navy blue blanket like cozier version of the night sky.   

Taking Marinette’s wide smile as a good sign, Adrien took her hand and tugged her down beside him onto the blanket. Rubbing the back of his neck, he explained, “Since I can’t take you on a real date I figured we could have a not-date instead.”

“A not-date?” she asked, looking thoroughly enchanted by his gesture, “I don’t know, this seems an awful lot like the real thing.”

“It is but we’re not supposed to say it.” 

“And why is that?” she asked, trying not to laugh.

Seeing Marinette’s joy as she practically bounced where she sat when he handed her a container of gelato and a spoon, Adrien felt the majority of his nerves begin to melt away. His voice was husky with emotion when he answered. “Because one day I’m going to be able to take you on a real date but until then this will have to do.”

“You know most people call that hanging out,” she teased, her eyes positively sparkling. 

“No, this is not-” Adrien’s brain grinded to a halt as Marinette moaned around her spoon, clearly enjoying her first bite of gourmet gelato. The indecent sound sent a shiver down his spine that tingled right in his balls which in turn had his dick waking up to join their date like an unwanted third wheel begging for attention... Great. What was he saying- oh yeah... “This isn’t hanging out, this is a not-date. Trust me. I know these things.”

“You just want a good night kiss,” she accused around another spoon of the sugary, sweet, semi-frozen goodness.

“That’s not all I want,” he smirked… and then stuffed his face with gelato as his brain caught up with the words coming out of his mouth. There was no amount of cold to stop the flush that began creeping up his neck. “I mean… yeah I want that too…” he swallowed, trying to channel a bit of Chat’s bravado but all that bluster deserted him when faced with Marinette’s knowing grin. “That's not what I meant… not that I don’t want you or a kiss… later...or not. It's completely up to you…” 

What the hell was wrong with his mouth? Shut the fuck up already.

“Alya was right. You are adorable when you’re flustered,” Marinette playfully teased.

Which only flustered him even more. And when she took another bite of gelato, deliberately dragging her lips over the spoon to get every little bit… he really needed to adjust his dick a little to the right and ease some of the pressure from his skinny jeans. 

It wasn’t fair that she could get him rock hard and aching with just a look.  

“You wanna talk about flustered? Let’s talk,” Adrien started, jabbing his spoon in her direction as he sat the rest of his frozen treat in his lap to hopefully cool things down. “I clearly remember you taking flustered to a whole new level back when we first met. All I had to do was smile at you and you about keeled over.”

She pouted. “I was not that bad.”

“You invented a whole new language trying to talk to me which I got really good at interpreting, by the way.”

“You would invade my personal space just to get me to spaz out,” she growled, her lips twitching as she fought to keep from laughing. 

“Was I really that intimidating?”

“Yes.” When his only response was to gawk stupidly, she rolled her eyes and sighed. “I really liked you, a lot. That made you very intimidating to me.”

He took hold of her hand, entwining their fingers tightly. “I wish you would have told me.”

“The way I felt for you was weird and obsessive and every time I was near you I became this stiff, awkward, clumsy, mess,” she said wryly. “You were better off not knowing.”

“I figured you were a fan but I didn’t mind so much because you never hung all over me and pawed at me or constantly asked me to autograph things. And I tried really hard not to make you uncomfortable but sometimes I had to tease you. You were so freakin’ cute,” Adrien chuckled, his candidness rewarded with a sharp nudge of Marinette’s elbow into his side. It sobered him enough to ask, “So what changed? If you liked me so much why did you stop?”

“You mean why was I able to become a normal human being around you?”

He nodded, watching the play of lights on their blanket sky, grounded by the warmth of her palm pressed securely against his own.

“I never stopped. I’ve always cared about you. It was just… it was a few different things that happened, actually.” Setting aside her empty container, Marinette snuggled closer, resting her head against his shoulder He squeezed her hand, prompting her to continue. “The hardest part was realizing that I didn't really love you if I hardly knew you and I could read every magazine article ever published about you but what good was that when I saw you in person every day and couldn’t even say hello without almost having a stroke.”

“I can see where that might pose a problem,” he agreed dryly.

“Then you had a photo shoot at the park that summer and Nino, Alya and I met up with you there after it was over. When we asked how it went you said it was uncomfortable for you because the model you were working with was a pushy fan and that you were fed up with girls acting that way around you, that it bothered you more than you usually let show. And I remember being so embarrassed because I wasn’t any better than they were.”

“You were never a bother, Marinette,” he assured her sweetly, finally daring to face her so she could see that he meant what he was saying. “I’m sorry you thought that. Trust me. You were a cakewalk compared to some girls I’ve had to deal with. Just because it’s part of my job to be alluring doesn’t mean I want complete strangers feeling me up and telling me how sexy they think I am. If I’m lucky, no one tries to lick me.”

“Ewww. Really?”

“That’s not even the grossed thing I’ve had happen-” Adrien shook his head, clearing the thought, “Anyway, as you were saying…?”

“Well, after putting all of that together I figured I really didn’t stand a chance with you,” she laughed derisively. “So I promised myself I would be a better friend, a real friend, someone who could treat you like a normal person and not some kind of prize to be won. With some effort it started being easier to be around you. It gave me the chance to really get to know you and it was amazing how fast you became one of my best friends.” Then the softness in her voice turned to hesitance, her free hand motioning between them almost nervously. “Now this is a thing that’s happening and I… it’s not.. I wasn’t expecting us to go there...”

There was a key piece to all of this prodding at the back of Adrien’s thoughts, trying to worm its way front and center, something they really should talk about, but it was heavy and disquieting and he pushed it away before it could take hold, not wanting to ruin the intimate moment. Instead he tried to nip his blossoming insecurities in the bud.

“You want this, right?” - _he hadn’t pushed, she’d started this as much as he had..._ “If you don’t, it’s okay,” _no, it wasn’t okay..._ “I’ll back off if its too much,” _it would never be okay..._ “I don’t want you to feel pressured, ever.” ... _but he would find a way to deal, not that he knew how or where to start since he was pretty sure he’d never be able to go back to being just friends, never be able to pretend like she wasn’t the best thing he had, the only thing he needed, like he wasn’t whipped just like Nino said and willing to do anything, give anything just to see her smile..._

Marinette had to have seen the panic in his eyes or heard the faint waver in his voice or something because suddenly the melted remains of his forgotten gelato was gone from his lap and in its place was warm, soft girl as she wrapped her bare arms around his neck, her head bowed to his. “I’ve always wanted this with you,” she amended, “I just never thought I’d have it.”

Crushing her against him, he rubbed his nose against hers. “I’m sorry I made you wait,” and he truly was but things had a way of working out when the timing was right and if she’d confessed then… well, they probably wouldn’t be together now and there were years of memories and shared moments that he wouldn’t trade for anything. All of it led them here so he couldn’t regret it too much.

Adrien ran his hands up and down her back restlessly, the heat of her seeping in past her flimsy tank top and the cotton of his t-shirt, adding to the feelings of love and want swelling in his chest. But that wasn’t the only swelling going on. She had to feel him, stiff and throbbing and pressed so tightly against the warmest part of her, the most sensitive part that got her to make those enticing little noises he could listen to forever… She shifted, not quite grinding but close enough that his breath caught and his fingers clenched into her sides.

“That open invitation I gave you was for more than just coming over whenever you want,” she whispered, brushing her lips over his in a feather light kiss. 

“Maybe I’m just here for free pastries,” he teased, breathless as he moved his hands higher, his thumbs skimming under the curve of her breasts. 

She huffed a laugh, her voice husky with desire. “Ahh. That must be it, silly me. And I was beginning to think you liked me.”

“But… I do…” he mumbled, kissing the corner of her mouth and moving to her flushed cheek. “So much that you will definitely have trouble getting rid of me.” He by passed her earlobe avoiding her suspicious earrings (that was a topic they were not broaching tonight) and nipped at the delicate skin beneath, enamored with her soft gasp. 

“Oh… uugg,” Marinette moaned as his thumbs rubbed over her pebbled nipples and her hips wiggled, “Good thing I want you to stick around then.”

Very good thing indeed.

Mouthing down the side of her throat, Adrien hooked his fingers under the straps of her thin top, pulling the clingy fabric down and exposing her breasts to the warm night air. Reaching her collarbone, he bit down gently, sucking the skin so sharply it caused her hips to jerk. 

“Fuck… Adrien,” she hissed, carding her fingers through his hair to keep him close.

He was burning up. The need to touch her had been building up for days. The memory of her body had been on repeat in his head, fueling the want and the anticipation until it was acutely painful and now that he could finally lose himself in her...  it was too much. Between the feel of her against his dick and the sounds coming from her, she was seriously wearing on his self control. He was so aroused he feared just the pressure from his jeans alone might tip him over the edge.

Cradling Marinette’s head with one hand, Adrien leaned her down onto the blanket, fighting back a whimper as she arched against him. He didn’t want this to be about him, not tonight. He wanted to worship the girl beneath him. He wanted to take her to the stars the only way he could.

Adrien trailed his kisses lower, admiring the nearly faded love bites he’d left on her last time, pecking each one fondly and causing Marinette to giggle. She played with his hair, sending chills down his spine, the fire in his belly burning hotter. She mewed when his mouth closed over her right nipple and gasped when he curled his tongue around the little button, sucking gently. Her hips wiggled frantically but he stretched out his torso, keeping the time bomb in his pants away from her seeking, squirming core.

Instead he braced his weight on one arm as he trailed his other hand down her side and over her hip, kneading as he went. She arched against his mouth, whining as he trailed his tongue along the valley between her breasts pausing to scrape his teeth at the sides. He plucked at the waistband of her yoga pants, silently asking for permission. 

“Adrien, touch me or I’m going to do it myself,” she warned, her voice wrecked as she tugged hard at his hair for good measure.

“I’ll pet your pussy cat if you ask nicely,” he chuckled into her skin, emboldened by her impatience. 

Marinette swatted his shoulder “Can we forego the use of euphemisms right now, please.”

Sliding his hand around to her ass, Adrien squeezed at the same time he sucked hard on her left nipple. Marinette’s hips bucked as she cried out, pulling his hair with enough force to make him wince. His dick twitched, aching with each pounding beat of his heart as he soothed her stinging flesh with his tongue. 

“If you can still talk in complete sentences then I’m doing something wrong,” he teased.

“You are. You need to touch me down there,” she whined, wiggling under him.

“You didn’t ask nicely.” 

Marinette tugged his hair and he sucked a mark into the underside of her breast. 

She groaned. “Please touch me.”

Reluctantly he lifted his mouth from her chest, taking in her flushed face and lidded stare. Lust was a good look on her, it darkened the blue of her eyes and turned her gaze into something smoldering that he could almost feel igniting his skin. Her lips were rudy, her bottom lip swollen from where she kept catching it with her teeth. It was mesmerizing the way her feverish blush spread all the way down to the tips of her breasts. 

She was so fucking beautiful it hurt. 

“How do you want me to touch you?” Her brow wrinkled in confusion. He smirked. “Do you want me to finger you or do you want me to go down on you?”

Marinette’s flush deepened as she stuttered out, “F-fing-gers p-please.” 

“You sure?” He licked his lips slowly, deliberately. “I wouldn’t mind kissing other places…”

“You would? Isn’t it weird?” she grimaced, closing her eyes tight, “I mean, not weird in a bad way… but… ugh… like what if it tastes bad? And there’s stuff… that I… um…”

The unexpected self consciousness coming from Marinette was endearing but Adrien knew better than to laugh. Leaning down, he kissed her languidly, coaxing her to respond, his heart thrumming wildly as she clutched him tighter.

Carefully, Adrien slid his hand into her pants, his fingertips trailing over the heated skin of her lower stomach and then the soft cotton that covered her abdomen. He drew his touch along the top of her panties, giving her the chance to change her mind. Marinette’s reaction was to sling one leg over his and cant her hips up toward his hand. 

Against her lips, he grinned. “I’m going to do my best to make you feel good. Relax, okay.”

Marinette moaned something that sounded like yes and Adrien took it as all the answer he needed. Firmly but gently he pressed his fingers down between her parted thighs, noting the damp material did not leave much to his imagination. Kissing her harder, he rubbed harder trying to keep his movements in tandem with their dueling tongues. 

She arched and writhed, panting into his mouth as her kisses lost momentum, distracted by his ministrations to a different set of lips. The more he rubbed the wetter her panties became until he couldn’t help but want to feel her skin to skin. Pushing the scrap of cotton aside, his dragged his index finger along her slit. 

Fuck… she was so wet. 

Just one shallow pass and slickness coated the tip of his finger helping it glide easily on her tender flesh. He slid it back down feeling for her opening and elicited a gasp from Marinette as he swirled the tip inside of her teasingly before dragging back up to the top. At a certain spot she jerked and clawed at his shoulders, whimpering brokenly. The sound was so sexy it made his balls tighten and he rubbed the spot again. She trembled and he was lost.

Adrien leaned back just enough to watch Marinette’s face as he worked his finger against that sweet spot making small, slow circles. Beads of sweat accumulated at her temples and along the tops of her breasts as she panted, her chest rising and falling hypnotically. Her eyes were screwed shut, her lips parted even as she bit down on her bottom lip and whimpered louder.

He added a second finger, dipping both into her dripping heat before returning to the vicinity of her clit and resuming the slippery friction she so desperately needed. He was so involved in her reactions that he didn’t even realize he was panting along with her, rocking his hips against nothing in the vain hope of finding pleasure. 

His touch moved up slightly higher and to the left and Marinette gasped, “There... Shit… right there… please…”

Adrien circled his fingers faster, ignoring the cramping in his wrist as her legs spread as wide as they could go. She let out a particularly loud moan and he sealed his mouth back to hers, swallowing her addicting sounds. A few more strokes and her body stiffened before going completely boneless, her muscles shuddering. 

With one last kiss to Marinette’s mouth, Adrien started peppering kisses all over her pretty face. A weak giggle escaped her as he dropped little pecks over her warm cheeks and up to the faint freckles that across the bridge of her nose, then over her closed eyes and down along her jaw. Always one to do a thorough job, he placed a quick kiss to each of her breasts before settling her top back into place.

Marinette’s blue eyes cracked open, shining with affection and when paired with the lazy smile that curled her swollen lips, he knew he’d never love anyone as much as he loved the girl in his arms.

“That was so much better than doing it myself,” she admitted, tugging him to rest his body fully against her. “Now it’s your turn.”

He caught her hand as she started to reach between them and lifted it to kiss her palm. “As tempting as that is, I’m going to have to head home soon." 

“But you didn’t-”

“It’s okay. I’m fine.”

Her eyes narrowed, “I can feel you poking me.” She wiggled and he hissed.

“Seriously, if I let you get me off I’m not going to leave.” She pouted and Adrien had to tuck his face against her throat because that’s all it would take for his discipline to turn to shit. Nuzzling her, he sighed, “It’s okay. I love making you cum. This was probably as much fun for me as it was for you so…  next time, alright?”

“I don’t want you to go.” Her arms locked around his shoulders like a vice. 

“I know, I don’t want to leave either,” he whispered, kissing her neck and tasting the salt on her skin, “but I have a meeting with my father in the morning.”

“That sounds ominous.”

“Probably work related. That's the only time he ever talks to me.”

“Adrien…” 

He felt her worry as clearly as he felt her heartbeat pulsing against his lips. He heard the sadness creeping into her blissed out voice. He hated the way the shifting mood was killing her afterglow right along with his boner.

“Hey, don’t,” he backpedaled, leaning back to show her that he was fine. “It is what it is. Honestly, his bullshit doesn't bother me anymore.”

“That doesn’t make it right,” she sighed in frustration. Tenderly she smiled, reaching up to smooth his disheveled hair. “You deserve to be loved.”

“I’ve got you,” he smiled, pressing his lips to hers reverently, pouring out his adoration into the kiss. “That’s all I need.” 

It was easy to embrace that simple truth because this right here, this genuine love Marinette showed him, was why he’d always orbited around her center of gravity, even from the very first overture of friendship. It had always been there, seeping through the cracks of her composure and even when he couldn’t place a name to it he’d still known that she was special to him, that she was precious. It should probably bother him that she’d shown him more affection while unable to say two words to him than his father had in as long as he could remember.

But it didn’t bother him. It couldn’t even touch him. 

Not when Marinette was looking at him like he was her whole world with a light show of stars reflected in her eyes.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.. this is the longest chapter yet. Woohoo! hopefully I delivered with the sin. There was still two more scenes that were supposed to be in this chapter but they will be added to the next one instead. I had a little trouble thinking up a good scene for the date because we all know that boy is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to his sappy little romantic heart. Mari doesn't stand a chance when Adrien actually tries to sweep her off her feet.
> 
> Okay... I'm pitching this idea out of curiosity. I have a plotted draft for a goth/modern romance where Chat Noir is a dark fey that deals in nightmares and misfortune, Marinette is the mortal girl that he's in love with and he haunts her dreams, Adrien is the awkward boy that hangs out at the bakery where Marinette works and seriously intrigues her. I'm wondering of y'all would be interested in reading it. I know there are a lot of fey/fairy fanfics out there so I'm not sure if this idea has been done before. Let me know what y'all think.
> 
> Other than that... I got nothing. Thank you so much for reading. Love and hugs!


	6. Someone Like You

He could still smell Marinette on his skin. 

With his bed sheets pulled over his head to block out the cloudy, grey dawn and the traces of vanilla sugar still clinging to his shirt, Adrien pressed his fingers to his nose and breathed in deep, groaning as excitement pooled in his abdomen. 

The lingering scent of Marinette’s arousal was beyond sexy and it spiked his desire, hot and insistent. Add to that the memories of why he smelled like her in the first place and the escalation of his heartbeat pumped every bit of blood right from his sleepy brain and straight into his crotch.

From a few feet away he heard Plagg grumble, “Again? At this rate you’re gonna break it off...” before fading into the distance. 

It went in one ear and right out the other as Adrien used his free hand to ease down the waistband of his boxers and let his little buddy spring free. There was no help for it, his morning wood wasn’t going away without a rub down and with the lingering traces of Marinette surrounding him, it promised to be really good. 

Sighing, he began working his dick with firm strokes and gave himself over to images playing on the backs of his eyelids… 

_Marinette whimpered, sitting on her heels with her bare legs spread wide. Head cocked to the side and her pretty face flushed, her mesmerizing blue eyes slid shut under the onslaught of pleasure. Her pink panties pulled taut over the back of her hand as she rubbed her sweet spot, shivering as a red and black spotted finger trailed down the side of her exposed throat._

_“That’s a good girl,” Ladybug cooed against Marinette’s ear, a wicked smile curving her crimson lips. “Now, I want you to fuck you fingers. Can you do that for me?”_

_The hand inside Marinette’s panties slid lower, a long drawn out groan ripping from her heaving chest as her hips began to rock back and forth. Spotted hands slid around from behind, cupping her pert breasts and squeezing._

_Ladybug nibbled on Marinette’s ear, her tongue flicking the red and black earrings with a husky laugh. “Open your eyes. He’s watching.”_

_Biting her bottom lip, Marinette opened her eyes, their pleading, blue depths even more vibrant against her rouged cheeks. Her fingers pumped faster, a fine sheen of sweat glistening over her skin as her back arched and her thighs trembled._  

_Ladybug’s bright eyes sparkled devilishly. “Ready, kitty? She’s going to cum just for you.”_

_Marinette tensed, her beautiful body shaking as she came apart, gasping his name, “A-Adri-en…”_

The fantasy was ripped away as his pleasure peaked and the building sensations exploded, starting in his balls and surging down his cock. Hot spunk erupted all over his hand as his orgasm hit hard and fast and he bit down on his knuckles, desperately trying to keep quiet as ripple after ripple of ecstasy traveled along his body like a shock wave. 

As the feeling slowly faded Adrien lay there panting, not even attempting to move. 

Filled with delicious lethargy, he blinked his green eyes open and frowned. Well that was interesting. His mind hadn’t really gone that direction before… but what a nice direction it was. Except touching himself wasn’t as good as having Marinette grind on his junk. He imagined it was probably ten times better if she used her hand. Oh god, he’d probably die if she used her mouth. 

Now _that_ was a nice thought… 

But, if he were being completely honest, the pleasure was great but certainly a bit lacking when he couldn’t hold Marinette against him afterward. Sighing, he cleaned his hand off with his boxers before readjusting them and pulled away the bed sheet covering his face. 

Toxic green eyes peered down at him curiously. “Are you done? You weren’t making any noise…”

Well, so much for the afterglow. 

“I’m done. I’m up. Going to take my shower now.” Adrien rolled his eyes, his face flushed from more than just jerking off. Sluggishly he crawled out of bed and padded toward the bathroom, Plagg following closely behind. He peeked over his shoulder, arching a blond brow in question. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

It was obvious Plagg wanted breakfast. Adrien was inclined to make the furball wait. 

Looping through the air with his paws tucked behind his head, Plagg grinned. “Take a good look at me, kid. I don’t have genitalia so, in fact, no I don’t have anything better to do with my time but eat, sleep and make fun of you.”

Adrien froze mid step, his horrified gaze darting over to his kwami as the implications of Plagg’s admission set in. “I thought it was tucked away or something…”   

“Helllooo. Embodiment of destruction, misfortune and chaos here. Nobody wants miniature versions of me running around. Not even _me_.”

“But still…” Adrien gestured vaguely with his hands, “How are you okay with that?”

“I got cheese. Smelly, gooey, melt in my mouth cheese. Why would I need sex when I’ve got cheese?” The fact that Plagg looked genuinely stumped almost made Adrien laugh. 

Almost.

Honestly, he cringed at the thought of not having the gender defining parts of his anatomy.

“Because cheese can’t give you a mind blowing orgasm.” Duh!

“Kid, I know you were homeschooled and all, but you do realize that your penis is not the organic version of a stress ball, right?”

Adrien blinked. “Um… I’m pretty sure ninety percent of the human race would argue that point with you. It’s fun for girls and boys.”

“And what about the other ten?”

“They’re liars.”

“You crack me up, kid” Plagg cackled. “But I still don’t see the appeal of having a meat stick.”

Sympathizing in a manner that could only be understood by a fellow member of the male gender, Adrien winced. Was Plagg even male? It was too early for this shit… “I’m sorry, buddy. I really mean that.” Then another thought struck Adrien. “No wonder you’re so grumpy all the time.” 

Detouring to the minifridge, he pulled out a whole wheel of camembert.

Plagg’s smile grew. “Can I get you to feel bad enough to hook me up like this every day?”

“Don’t push it,” Adrien shot back, the click of the bathroom door echoing behind him.

 

* * *

 

 

The silence was unnerving.

Glancing around the small waiting area, Adrien remained stiffly perched on the edge of his terribly uncomfortable chair. Typical to his father’s aesthetic, the office furniture was very contemporary and posh but wasn’t really worth crap when put to the test of practicality and function. 

In his opinion, it was ridiculous that Gabriel refused to hold an informal meeting at his home office. What was the point of making Adrien miss the start of his school day to come all the way downtown in the pouring rain just to have a conversation about work that they could have had in his study. Or better yet, at the table over breakfast? 

The pretentious formality was a waste of time.

Adrien couldn’t help but wonder if it was his father’s way of reminding him that he was an employee first and his son second.

“Adrien,” the red-headed secretary said in a pleasantly neutral tone, “M. Agreste will see you now.”

“Thank you, Cécile,” he replied with equal aloofness.

Gabriel was seated behind his desk like a king holding court. Nathatlie stood at attention on his right, tablet and stylus ever at the ready. They both held perfect poker faces, like living, breathing mannequins. 

Crap. They were Borg. If he wasn’t careful they might try to assimilate him...   

“Adrien, be seated.” The clipped greeting was the best he could expect from his father as Gabriel turned his attention to the paperwork spread out before him. He waited until Adrien did as told and then continued, “Before we discuss your upcoming summer schedule there is an issue that must be addressed first.”

Garbriel’s tone didn’t change; there was no inflection other than absolute authority, and yet it was startling how quickly Adrien’s insides froze over in trepidation. The disapproval may not have been evident in his father’s voice but it was crystal clear in his choice of words.

Swallowing against the lump of anxiety trying to close his throat, Adrien asked, “Issue, Father?”

The sharpness of Gabriel’s stare could cut through diamonds. “Specifically your measurements from this weekend’s fitting session.”  

_The fitting? This isn’t about Mari…?_

Adrien barely stopped himself from sagging in relief.

The elder Agreste handed his assistant a sheet of paper which she dutifully stepped forward and gave to Adrien. He looked it over, frowning. “This is my debit card statement?”

“Yes,” Gabriel snapped. “On it you will see an exorbitant amount of restaurant purchases.” His piercing ice-blue eyes narrowed. “I allow you to attend your lunch hour with your friends. However, if you do not have the discipline to stay on your tailored meal plan, I will rescind that allowance and you will return home for your lunch hour.”

“But Father, I do.”

“You purchased galeto after your piano lessons just last evening, Adrien. Do not lie to me!” 

But it was just ice cream. 

Why the hell was it such a big deal? He’d wanted to do something sweet and romantic for Marinette. And now he was in trouble for it? Because he didn’t have permission to buy goddamn ice cream?

Frustration bloomed in Adrien’s chest and spread like wildfire, igniting his temper. This was why it was impossible for him to have a girlfriend. All because of Gabriel and his micromanaging bullshit. 

“I apologize. I will do better.” Adrien almost choked trying to force the words out of his mouth. 

“You most certainly will. Nathalie has arranged for a meeting with your dietician. Mme Gordeaux will educate you on healthier options and will adjust your current meal plan accordingly.” Gabriel paused, eyeing his son tauntingly. “Do you have something to say, Adrien?”

He knew he should bite the bullet just to get this meeting over with. Gabriel didn’t expect back talk, his father expected obedience. Which was all the more reason that he shouldn’t entertain the reckless anger seething within. 

But fuck if Adrien was going to suck it up this time. 

“Is this really necessary?” he asked, adopting a perfect imitation of Gabriel’s impassiveness, “My measurements can’t have gone up that much.”

“You are a model. A fashion icon. You are the face of Gabriel. Together we set the trends in menswear. Need I remind you that your appearance is everything?” Gabriel paused and Adrien hoped it was for dramatic effect because he didn’t intend to answer. When he remained stubbornly silent, Gabriel's expression pinched in annoyance. “First impressions are made instantaneously. Therefore your appearance can never be less than perfect or it will reflect directly on Gabriel. So yes, Adrien, it is absolutely necessary. And if you do not take this seriously I will be forced to take more drastic measures. Have I made myself clear?” That time the question rang out like a gunshot in the otherwise silent office. 

Translation: I will take away each freedom you hold dear one by one until you break.

Adrien hated the stinging in his eyes. “Perfectly clear.” 

“Stand.” Gabriel ordered, rising to come from around his desk with Nathalie on his heels. She handed Gabriel a tape measure. “I want to assess the damage you’ve done.”   

Obediently, because that was the only option at this point, Adrien pulled off his t-shirt, toed off his sneakers, and stepped out of his jeans in less than a minute. Assuming the position, he held out his arms and kept completely still, eyes fixed forward. He tuned out his father’s voice as Gabriel called out measurements to Nathalie. He didn’t flinch each time the cold measuring tape touched his skin.

However, he did flinch when his father roughly pinched the taut skin over his abs testing for hidden fat. There wasn’t any, running around Paris as Chat Noir made sure of that.   

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “You’ve acquired more muscle definition than I anticipated. Nathalie, make a note to have Luis alter Adrien’s weight training regimine. Where he is now is sufficient. We can’t have excessive muscle structure.” 

“Yes, Sir.” She immediately began tapping at her tablet.

“First I’m too fat and now I’m too muscular?” Adrien asked, trying hard not to let the depth of his anger seep into his voice. He wasn’t sure he managed but Gabriel ignored his outburst so either his father didn’t notice or he didn’t care. 

“The goal is to be sleek. To have the clothing fit just so with your body as the perfect display. Too much muscle you become unevenly proportioned and displeasing to the eye,” his father replied as if talking to a dim witted child. 

“You know, most people have no problem with the way I look.”

Gabriel remained unimpressed. “Most people are not experts in fashion. In fact, most people should not be allowed to dress themselves. You are leagues above most people.” Sighing, he made  a circular motion with his index finger, “Turn,” and continued to look over Adrien critically. Then he scowled. “Not ideal but I suppose you’ll do. Get dressed”

Adrien quickly redressed as his father resumed his seat at his desk. The familiar knot of anxiety, the crux from which all of Adrien’s emotions regarding his father stemmed, remained twisting his stomach unpleasantly as he sat back down and fought the urge to fidget. It was hard to sit still and look pretty when he really wanted to brandish his claws and shred everything in his father’s pristine office to irreparable pieces.

Then he wouldn’t be surrounded by the unattainable illusion of perfection. Everything would be broken. Beautifully imperfect. Jagged edges and utter destruction. It would feel so good to just… just ruin… everything-   

“Nathalie, my itinerary.” 

Gabriel’s sharp command jerked Adrien out of the negative space in is head. Knee bouncing, he took the print out Nathatlie handed him and hoped his father didn’t notice.   

“Now for the first reason I called this meeting today; Vogue Paris has apparently had a scheduling conflict and they have requested to move the cover shoot from the August 19th to as soon as possible. I’ve cleared your schedule for this afternoon.  The shoot itself should not take more than a few hours at most. The interviewer will be there as well to get the questions out of the way. They insist on running your spread in the June edition instead of September as originally planned.”

Great. Another fucking photoshoot… “September would have been ideal with fashion week at the end of the month.”

“I agree and though I am less than pleased with the changes, I will not pass up the opportunity to have our brand on the cover.” 

Of course Gabriel wouldn’t. The company was the only goddamn thing his father ever compromised for. “I understand.”

Satisfied, the elder Agreste moved on to the next order of business. “This Sunday is the sportswear photoshoot on location at Parc Monceau. May 29th you will be flying to Marbella where we will be filming the commercial and photoshoot for the “La Mer” His and Hers cologne line which is scheduled for distribution in July.”

Damn. He’d forgotten all about the new cologne line. Shit shit shit...

“I will be in London the week prior but will join you on the 30th-”   

This was not the best time for Chat Noir to leave Paris much less France...

“How long will we be in Spain?” Adrien asked, cutting his father off and not particularly caring if it was considered rude.

“Filming should be completed by the 10th, I imagine.”

Twelve days. That was a long time for something not to go wrong. It would be pushing her luck to leave LB defending Paris by herself. And with Hawkmoth’s new attack… it was a risk they shouldn’t even consider taking.

Fuck! His Lady needed him at her side. They needed to face this threat together. Ladybug was amazing but she wasn’t infallible. They worked best as a team for a reason. Each of them was at a disadvantage without the other. 

“Twelve days… that’s almost two weeks. Father, are you sure it will take that long?”

“If all goes according to schedule, yes.” Gabriel eyed his son shrewdly. “Adrien, is there a problem?”  

_Yes, and I’d bet money it’s not what you’re thinking._

Not that he knew what his father was thinking… but Adrien wished he did. It would be good to have some leverage over the situation for once. But he didn’t and it was more important to divert Gabriel’s questioning than to play mind games with his father anyway. 

Adrien’s thoughts raced, desperate for any plausible reason why he might not want to go to Spain, anything that wouldn’t in some way bring attention to Marinette or Ladybug, as he sank down further in his seat under his father’s unwavering stare. “I… I was going to ask...”

“Correct your posture, Adrien, and speak assertively. An Agreste does not mumble!” Gabriel reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, a sure fire sign of his rapidly dwindling patience. 

Jerking to attention, Adrien remembered something he had wanted to discuss. It wasn’t the right time to bring it up but honestly there never would be a good time so...

“Sorry, Father. I wanted to discuss attending the summer music intensive at the conservatory. Gisele recommended the course. She says it is a great chance to improve my composition skills.”  

“Compositions? As in composing music?” 

Adrien nodded, his itinerary crumpling slightly in his fist. “Yes. I know you would prefer I focus on fencing but I love playing piano and Gisele says I have the potential to-”

“No.”

“But.. Father if you’ll let me finish-”

He knew he’d lost the argument the moment Gabriel’s expression completely shut down. “My answer is no. I see no reason to invest time and money honing skills that are unnecessary. I allow you take piano lessons because I promised your mother I would but I will neither condone nor encourage you to take this hobby seriously.” 

 _Because fencing is something I’ll need…_ “Being a musician is an acceptable career choice.”

Gabriel stilled, his voice colder than a glacier. “Excuse me?” 

_Abort abort abort abort_

“I just mean…” Adrien shrugged, struggling to appear passive, “there are worse things I could do with my summer than learning the finer points to composing an original score.”  

It wasn’t like he’d expected Gabriel to say yes. It was stupid to be dissapointed. 

“Adrien, we are done having this conversation. If you fear you will have too much free time then I will have Nathalie compile a list of online courses to choose from that will help prepare you for university. That, at least, will serve a beneficial purpose.” 

Nathalie made another note on her tablet. “I will have a list emailed to Adrien by this afternoon, Sir.”

Another link to the chain.

Another yank on his leash.

The need to escape was becoming overwhelming. 

“Is there anything else that we need to talk about?” Adrien asked, hoping he didn’t sound nearly as cornered as he felt, “I would prefer not to miss all of first period.”

“I believe that is all.” 

Adrien bolted.

 

* * *

 

The anxiety didn’t go away, even after Adrien returned to school. 

First period was still in session, thankfully, so it was easy to detour to the empty restroom and call his transformation to send Ladybug a message letting her know Chat Noir would not make patrol that night.

It was a little harder to keep his pleasantly blank expression all throughout second period as every worst case scenario his partner could face during their twelve day spearaton played out in his head in vivid detail. 

It took all of three seconds for Marinette to see right through Adrien’s photo-worthy smile once she caught up with him on the way to their third period literature class. He almost flinched under the weight of her concerned stare. Honestly, he should have known she’d see through his bullshit attempt. She’d always had a knack for reading him like an open book. 

“How bad was it?” Marinette asked, jumping right to the point as she tossed down her bookbag and turned in her seat to face him.  

“Could have gone better,” Adrien grimaced and really just wanted a hug. Instead he rubbed the back of his neck and tried not to think about how relaxing it would feel to have Marinette run her fingers through his hair. “Could’ve gone worse. Too much to get into right now. I’ll fill you in later.”

Marinette nodded and didn’t press the issue but he felt her eyes returning to him all throughout class. There was no way she missed the way he fidgeted, his knee bouncing a mile a minute the entire time.

There was too much on Adrien’s mind. He couldn’t focus. To keep his thoughts from replaying his worst nightmares, he tried to come up with the best way to protect LB should he have to leave for Spain. Then that segued into what kind of stunt he could pull to avoid leaving Paris altogether. Which then fluctuated between the reality of knowing it would take nothing short of Adrien being hospitalized to have Gabriel call in another model and admitting that landing himself in a hospital was a damn stupid idea-

“Adrien...”

-a Marinette-would-literally-kick-his-ass-six-ways-from-Sunday kind of stupid idea-

“Adrien?”

-and then Ladybug would want a turn once she got a hold of him-

“Hey, Adrien,” he jumped as Marinette shook his shoulder gently. She crouched next to his desk, eyeing him worriedly. “The bell rang. We should get to trig.”

“Shit. Sorry. I’m coming.” Hastily stuffing his books into his satchel, he followed her from the classroom feeling like there was a lead weight in his stomach. He wondered how convincingly he could fake falling down a flight of stairs. If he timed it just right that might buy them a few days…

It was hard for Adrien to get out of his head once he got sucked in. He let Marinette run interference and kept in her shadow as she maneuvered them both through the halls to their next class. Still, he didn’t miss the look she shared with Nino or the way she subtly shook her head at his silent question. He didn’t need the boost of Chat Noir’s enhanced hearing to catch Alya when she muttered under her breath, “I hate that pompous, ass-faced, dingleberry,” as he slumped into his seat.   

“I’m fine guys, really.” Of the three pairs of eyes watching him, none of them seemed remotely convinced. The anxiety spiked and Adrien wondered if he could google how to fake a nervous breakdown. That might get them a week. 

“You’re always upset after one of your father’s meetings,” Alya scowled. “I’m just waiting for the day you give me the green light to kick him the balls.”

Adrien cracked a smile but it felt bitter. 

Maybe he should consider putting his father in the hospital instead? Wouldn’t have to fake that. Finally knock that affected look off his father’s face. Bring the son-of-a-bitch down to his level. Make Gabriel feel like a useless piece of shit for a change...  

No, a good son wouldn’t think such things. 

But Adrien did. In that dark place where his thoughts went down twisted paths and pondered morbidly damaging things..

Maybe he could have a nice, messy psychotic breakdown? Nathalie would definitely need to clear his schedule a few weeks for that one, right?

“Get in line, Al. Pretty sure I called dibs on that crotch shot a long time ago,” Marinette sighed, reluctantly moving to her seat behind him. Adrien felt her warm breath tickle his ear when she leaned forward to whisper, “You can tell me all about it at lunch. And we can cuddle too. Sound good?”

If he turned his head he’d kiss Marinette, their audience be damned. He nodded instead. “Please. Cuddling sounds amazing right now.”

Adrien caught Nino’s grin out of the corner of his eye. Crap. He heard that, didn’t he? Oh well. Nino was on to them anyway. Honestly, that was the least of his fucking worries at the moment.

Once class began, Adrien tried to concentrate on his work, he truly did, but it wasn’t happening. Ten minutes in he gave up the pretense and watched the hands of the clock move in painfully slow motion. Each quiet tick echoed in his brain like a gong.  The teacher’s voice droned on like an annoying hum in the background. It almost felt like the classroom walls were closing in. His knee continued to bounce in silent agitation.

As soon as the bell rang Adrien gathered his things, grasped Marinette’s hand and escaped out the door with an amused Nino and Alya watching them go.

The trek to the bakery was quick but wet. Marinette held the black umbrella over their heads as Adrien carried her on his back. They both trusted his agility far better than hers when it came to jogging the five blocks across rain slick pavement to get to her apartment.  

By the time they made it indoors, a little damp around the edges but otherwise no worse for the wear, the physical activity had begun to soothe the worst of Adrien’s nerves. Sabine and Tom’s warm greetings also helped but there was no comparison to having Marinette pull him into a crushing hug the minute they were finally alone.

“It makes me so mad when he gets to you like this,” she fumed, leaning back just enough to see his face. “Will you be okay? Is there anything I can do?” Before he could properly answer, she burrowed into his shirt again, her voice muffled as she asked, “Are you hungry? Did he let you eat breakfast this morning? Can I get you anything?”

No one could do the whole mothering thing better than Marinette- well, except for Sabine since Marinette did learn from the best after all- and Adrien nuzzled her hair, his heart melting. “Can we cuddle?” he asked hopefully. 

Taking his hands, Marinette led him to the sofa. “Of course. We can do whatever you want.” When he snickered she rolled her eyes and tugged him down next to her. “Hush up and come here.”

Adrien curled himself around Marinette, wedged between her tiny body and the back of the couch, his head resting on her shoulder and his legs trapping hers. He didn’t have to ask her to scratch his head, her fingers were already carding through his hair, her nails scraping gently. He sighed, closing his eyes and letting the solid comfort of her presence work its magic. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked hesitantly.

Her heartbeat thumped steady and strong in his ear.

“I don’t meet my father’s standards,” Adrien admitted matter-of-factly. That was the best way to sum it up and it stung. “Nothing I do is ever good enough. Trying to explain myself just makes it worse. I don’t know why I get so angry. You think I’d be used to it by now.” 

He felt Marinette shake her head. “No, he doesn’t get to treat you that way and expect you to take it. You should be angry. Don’t ever let him convince you that he’s right because I promise you, he’s not.”   

“I think your opinion might be a little biased,” Adrien laughed weakly. 

“Hardly,” Marinette huffed. “I wish he could see you the way I do.”

Opening his eyes, Adrien stared sightlessly as he wondered how exactly he should interpret that. 

Marinette had always seen the best in him, partly because she had romantic feelings for him and partly because he always showed his most polished facade when in public. It was easier to be himself around his friends, true, but even then there was always the ingrained, knee-jerk reaction that he must behave appropriately or there would be consequences.

Marinette’s soft spot for him certainly blinded her to more of his obvious flaws.

But if Marinette was Ladybug- and at this point Adrien would bet his left nut that she was- then she’d never been distracted by his handsome face surrounded by visions of floating hearts. Ladybug knew every one of Chat Noir’s flaws. Hell, she’d probably called him out on all of them at least once. 

LB knew he could be pushy and unintentionally insensitive, that he could go from obsessively focused to completely preoccupied in seconds, that he thrived on the thrill of his recklessness, that he was embarrassingly immature sometimes, that he could get jealous and petty, that he was moody, sometimes spiteful, that his temper was a loose cannon and fuck if he wasn’t the worst touch-starved praise whore around. 

LB knew all of that and still felt Chat Noir was worthy to be her partner. Which in turn meant… Marinette knew all of that and still wanted to be with him.

Why…?

This wasn’t something Adrien could assume. He had to know. “How _do_ you see me?” he asked in a small voice.

“You’re brave. So much braver than me,” Marinette replied and he could hear the smile in her voice, “And you’re kind. You always worry about everyone else, you always go out of your way to try and make everyone happy. And I know for a fact that you rarely ask yourself what you want. You really need to do that more, by the way.” She dropped a kiss to the top of his head and he squeezed her tighter, his fingertips sliding under her shirt to rest on her waist. “But I think what I see the most is how strong you are. I don’t mean physical strength, though. I’m talking about how every time you get knocked down you get right back up. You never stay down and when you come back, you come back stronger. I’ve watched that asshole try and pick you apart for years and yet you still find the strength to put everyone and everything else first. I don’t know how you do it. I’m not that strong. I’d have burnt out a long time ago.”  

_Every time I think I can’t possibly love her more..._

Adrien blinked his eyes, trying really hard not to cry but the thickness in his voice gave him away. “I’m not that good of a person, Mari. I’m really not that selfless.” 

His hand slid further up her side, completely under her shirt and she giggled. 

“I’m not saying you’re perfect, Adrien, but I also never said you had to be. Goodness knows you’ve seen me at my worst. And you can’t deny that sometimes I’m a down right bitch.” He could deny that actually and point out reasons why she was entitled to behave that way, but Marinette pressed her fingers to his lips so he kissed them instead. “My point is, I see how great you are and I want to be like you when I grow up.”

Adrien laughed, startled, “What?”

“Life goals. I’m serious.”

“Well your bar must not be set very high,” he tried to joke, “I’m sure you can find a better role model than me. After all, I’m just a fat display stand who should be more assertive and less of an all around disappointment.”

Marinette’s fingers stilled in his hair. “He told you that?”

“I’m paraphrasing. There was also scolding, veiled threats and additions made to my schedule… you know, the usual.” When Marinette remained frozen he tilted his head to look up at her. “Would you believe that’s actually not what I’m freaking out about?”

Her eyes snapped to his. “What else happened?” she asked, her lips thinning as fury pinched her expression, “Did he lay a hand on you? I swear, if he did I’m soooo going to fuck him up… like right now.”

And Adrien didn’t doubt for one second that his five foot two not-girlfriend could easily take down his six foot three father in less than a minute. He almost felt bad for Gabriel. The asshat wouldn’t see it coming. 

Alas, he really shouldn’t encourage that… May as well jump right into the real issue at hand.  

“I’m going to Spain for twelve days,” Adrien blurted, ripping off the band-aid and watching her reaction closely.

“Oh.” Marinette’s frown shifted from anger to one of deep concentration. “When are you leaving?”

“End of the month.” Hesitating, Adrien was unsure of what else he should say. She thought he was brave but it was easy to be fearless when hiding behind virtually indestructible armor and a mask that offered anonymity. Chat Noir might be brave, some could argue suicidally so, but Adrien was not. He didn’t have the guts to start this conversation.

When Marinette began nibbling on her bottom lip, he figured she didn’t either.

Or he was completely wrong and she wasn’t LB. There was still a miniscule chance…

Treading carefully, he said, “I’m trying to think of how I could  get out of going but nothing useful is coming to mind.”

“What if you stood your ground and didn’t go? How badly do you think your father would retaliate?” Absently, she resumed scratching his head. 

“I’ll probably get put on lock down indefinitely,” Adrien answered honestly, his frustration palpable. 

“Not indefinitely. You’ll be eighteen in October. He can’t do anything to you after that.”

Which was technically true but, “Still doesn’t help me now though.”

For a moment they both fell quiet, then Marinette sighed. “You’ve left the country before. This shouldn’t be any different, right?” She tried to sound optimistic.

“I’ve never been gone longer than a week and... “ he trailed off, not sure how to put his whirling thoughts into words without divulging more than either of them were ready for. He settled for telling her the oversimplified truth. “I’m worried about leaving you.” 

That said it all without really saying anything... 

“See. That’s exactly what I’m talking about. You always put others first.” Marinette wriggled and he loosened his hold on her waist as she scooted down until they were eye level. Her smile wasn’t as bright as it normally was but it was reassuring all the same. “Don’t stress about it right now, okay. Trust me. It will work out.” 

He did trust her. More than anyone. They’d figure out something. That alone was enough to release the final knot of anxiety twisting his insides. It certainly didn’t hurt when Marinette closed the mere inches of space between them and kissed him soundly.

It was so easy to lose himself in her. With just the press of her lips he was falling, the slip of her tongue had him sinking and all he could do was cling to her, anything that wasn’t her ceasing to even exist... 

Until the need to breathe reared its ugly head.

“I’ll try not to worry,” he panted as she kissed the corner of his mouth, “but if this is how you want to distract me then by all mea-”

 “Shut up and kiss me,” Marinette laughed. She didn’t have to tell him twice.

Mouths colliding, Adrien leaned forward, rolling her onto her back, bracing his weight above her as the hand he splayed on her waist moved up along her side. Following his lead, he felt Marinette slip her hands under his shirt, her palms gliding up the muscles of his back, nails scratching as she raked them lightly back down. Sucking gently on her tongue, he shivered.

Sensation danced along Adrien’s skin, heat creeping through his veins, his heart racing behind his ribs, consumed by Marinette and riding the best fucking high in the world because she was everything he could possibly want and everything he didn’t know to ask for and there were so many ways he wanted to adore her, to show her just how much of a hold she had on him…  his beautiful, fierce, compassionate girl.  

She had to know. She had to realize that it was all her.

He suspected that the scrape of her teeth on his lip wouldn’t feel nearly as decadent if he wasn’t head over heels in love with Marinette. The way she arched into his hand as he palmed her lace cover breast would be inviting but he doubted it would be quite so addictive if he wasn’t already drowning in her, never wanting to surface.  

She had to feel the same.

Marinette wouldn’t be so pliant and willing if she felt anything less. 

Seeking fingers traced along the bulge in his jeans and Adrien gasped, tucking his face against her neck. The scent of her filled his lungs and he struggled to breathe, a soft whine escaping him as her touch grew bold, the feather light graze becoming a full on stroke to his junk. 

“You said next time it was my turn,” she whispered, right against his ear, her tongue flicking the lobe followed by her teeth biting lightly. He managed a muffled grunt, his mouth dragging along her throat, licking, kissing, sucking… anything to keep from rutting against her hand as she pressed harder. 

She toyed with the button to his fly and-

Their cell phones chimed in unison.

“Not an emergency alert. Ignore it,” she breathed, nibbling along his jaw-

Their phones chimed again.

-as he sucked softly against her pulse point, his hand easing under the cup of her bra-

Another chime followed directly by another.

“Goddamn it!” Marinette snarled, eyes scrunched closed in defeat, her face delightfully flushed.

“I know,” he soothed, dropping a peck to her lips before fixing her bra and reluctantly sitting up. He reached over and tossed Marinette her purse, pulling his own phone from his back pocket.

Luka: [Hey guys! Kitty Section is playing this Saturday in the local music showcase at Place des Vosges, 1:30 pm, free admission. If you can make it please come and show your support.]

Max: [I will be there.]

Kim: [Count me in. I’ll get my bros on the track team to come too.]

Alix: [I’m in. I’ll get my girls on the soccer team to come with.]

Nathaniel: [Marc and I will come.]

Kim: [Quit copying me, pipsqueak!]

Alix: [you wish, jockstrap! Geez. Get off the rag why don’t ya.]

“Think you can get away for a little while Saturday?” Marinette asked, her eyes flicking up from her phone.

The concert sounded fun and it would be great to get the gang together but if Marinette wasn’t going… “My afternoon is free. Aren’t you working though?” 

“Yes, but my parents will understand. They’ll let me leave early.” A sly smile curled her reddened lips. “Wanna make it a not-date?”

His answering grin could’ve put the sun to shame.

Mari: [I’m in.]

[Me too!]

Kim: [at least I look like a boy cuz I am a boy!]

Juleka: [here we go…]

Marc: [everyone knows you’re bi Kim]

Alix: [I knew you were checking out my tits, vagina boy]

Kim: [you need to grow a pair first, half pint]

Chloé: [OMG will you two just fuck already!!!]

Adrien snickered, the sound accompanied by Marinette’s startled laugh.

Max: [I have explained that sexual release is the logical solution to their problem. They refuse to listen.]

Luka: [Well, if Max said it…]

Alix: [why would I want a guy more girly than I am?]

Nino:[ I’m game]

Nino: [for the music]

Nino [Alix we know you’re bi too]

The ribbing was too fun not to join in. Adrien tapped out a quick text.

[I’m not bi-ying it. Chloé and Max might be right]

Kim: [Agreste I will sparta kick you into the nearest fountain Sat]

Alix: [I’ll think twice about Kim the day you get a clue Sunshine]

Get a clue?

Wait a minute… 

His eyes jerked to Marinette, her darkening blush filling in the blanks. 

Mylène: [Oooh]

The smile that nearly split his face was all Chat’s swagger and frankly Adrien didn’t care. 

Juleka: [oh snap]

“Did everyone know you had a thing for me?” he asked, his wheedling tone a dead give away that he was up to no good.

Ivan: [Sorry Marinette]

“Everyone but you.” Marinette rolled her eyes, her lips pursing into that ridiculously sexy pout that got him in the balls every time and it just served to remind him that his dick was still begging for attention.

Nathaniel: [Ivan ssshhh!]

Well it was high time he corrected that misconception. Or rather he tried, until Marinette snatched his phone from his hand mid text. He barely managed to press send.

[better look pretty Alix. I did get a clue and I’m getting som]

Marinette read his response and eeped, her eyes growing wide. “Ugh. I hate you.” 

Adrien laughed as she tapped out a reply, both phones chiming rapidly. 

She tossed back his cell, unimpressed and glaring daggers.  

Mari: [Sunshine has lost all phone privileges] 

Alix: [getting some…. WTF!!!]

Rose: [Marinette!]

Kim: [you guys make me sick...bleh]

Marc: [It’s finally happening!]

Mari: [plz ignore that.]

Mari: [it’s not what it sounds like] 

Nino: [I don’t know…]

Mari: [Shut it Lahiffe]

Adrien laughed even harder when Marinette’s foot shot out giving him a swift kick in the leg.

“Stop laughing and fix it!”

“Okay, okay,” he relented, knowing it was better to curb their teasing before she got seriously annoyed. It was one thing when it was just the two of them but their entire circle of friends was in on it now and… yeah, they should probably knock it off.

[As I was saying before someone rudely stole my phone… I’m getting somewhere.]

[Somewhere. Not some. Completely different context]

Juleka: [if you say so]

“More like you almost got some,” Marinette grinned.

Rose: [Chloé are you coming?]

Chloé: [not from this conversation]

“Neither did I,” Adrien muttered shooting his not-girlfriend a pitiful look. 

Fucking cockblockers.

Luka: [wow… um.. Oookay]

Marc: [I’m done]

Alix: [ omg dying. Very much dying here]

Chloé: [since I have nothing better to do… yes. I’ll be there. Sabrina too.]

Rose: [Yay! The gang is getting back together]

Alya: [forgot about me bitches! I’m in.]

Rose: [Yay!]

Alix: [Al our ship is setting sail and you’re missing it]

Alya: [always knew you and Kim were perfect for each other]

Kim: [grrr…]

Alix: [lick me jockstrap]

Kim: [nope. I’m not going near your barra-cooter]

When Arien began giggling like a strung out hyena, Marinette plucked the phone from his hand and turned the conversation on silent. “It wasn’t that funny.”

“Hey, that was some stellar word play right there.”

Doing the same to her phone, Marinette set both down on the floor. Crooking her finger, she motioned for him to come closer. “I’d like to finish what we started, wouldn’t you?”

“Oh yes,” he agreed, settling against her and claiming her lips, groaning into the kiss when she wasted no time slipping her hand between them and-

-and his fucking alrm went off signaling it was time to head back to class.

Marinette began giggling against his lips and then the mood was gone. Adrien collapsed against her, whining pathetically as he blindly felt around for the offensive phone.

“I’m so sorry,” she cooed, hugging him tightly as he fumbled to turn off the blasted beeping.

“No. Its fine. This is the kind of luck I have. Honestly, I’m surprised one of your parents didn't walk in, or both, because why not. The mortification couldn’t be any more painful than the raging case of blue balls I have right now.”

“Hey,” Marinette said and he turned his face to her, watching as she worried her lip, the wheels in her head turning, her eyes dark and dancing. “Hang in there. I’ll make it worth the wait.”   

It wasn’t so much what she said but how she said it, her voice husky and filled with promise, that had Adrien believing she was absolutely right. 

Anything Marinette was willing to give him would be worth the wait.

 

* * *

 

 The Vogue Paris photoshoot was surprisingly not horrible.

Adrien arrived on location at promptly two o’clock, having missed is final two afternoon classes, and wondered what the angle would be for this particular shoot as Gorilla escorted him into the sketchy looking warehouse where they were shooting. 

His first hint that the shoot might run smoothly was that Gabriel was stuck in a meeting and would be arriving until later. The second hint was his assigned stylist and the outfits she had coordinated.

Her name was Veronique and she was spunky. She reminded him of an older, more vivacious version of Juleka with ombre hair that started platinum at the roots and faded to lime green at the ends. Her smile was infectious and the fact that she was holding out a pair of ripped knee jeans made the woman his favorite stylist ever.

“I thought I was modeling Gabriel brand?” Adrien asked Veronique with a cheeky grin as he slipped into the washed out looking blue jeans, knowing damn well his father’s designs were preppy not edgy.

“For the cover photo you will. For the spread shots we’ll experiment a bit,” she replied breezily, handing him a navy blue muscle shirt that fit as snug as a second skin.  Then he laced up the black steel toe boots adorned with buckles and had to admire the man staring back at him in the mirror.

Gabriel always dressed Adrien with the purpose of enhancing his boy-ish good looks. The key word being boy-ish. Wholesome. The sweet boy next door aesthetic. Which was fine when he was thirteen and still a short, lanky kid. But Adrien wasn’t a child anymore. He was nearly of age legally to make his own decisions and if he factored in his alter ego... Well, Chat had played a big part in Adrien growing up faster than he probably should have. Superhero duties and life or death situations tended to strip that sheltered innocence pretty quickly. 

Adrien hadn’t felt like a child for years. It was time he embraced that in his outward appearance as well.

Giddy and radiating excitement, Adrien followed the photographer orders, posing in front of a long picture window to play with the extreme in contrasts off the lighter and darker colors of his clothing. The mood was introspective and the harsh shadows fit the scene well.

The second outfit was a pair of black leather pants, shiny and snug, paired with a red fishnet tank top that was completely see through. The hairstylist mussed up Adrien’s blond mop of hair leaving him looking disheveled as if he’d just rolled out of bed, freshly fucked and still tingling. Of course his mind then wandered right over to Marinette and how much fun it would be if she were the reason he looked freshly fucked and he had to stop that train of thought right in its tracks because there was no way to hide a stiffy in leather pants that damn tight.

Adrien thought it was kind of whimsical and fun when they left him barefoot and rocking a gray and red plaid fedora.

The photographer, Christoff, then had Adrien pose using a metal frame chair. The first set of shots he straddled the chair, arms across the back, playful and saucy. In the second set he sprawled out, one leg draped over the arm like an impudent king scornfully surveying his realm, his lips twisted in a cocky smirk and his eyes challenging.  

The third outfit Adrien kind of wanted to keep for himself. The cinnamon colored, vintage, leather jacket fit like a well tailored blazer, broad in the shoulders, snug in the waist and layered over a white graphic tee that read; from Paris with love. Slicked back hair, olive green skinny jeans and black high top sneakers finished off the classic ensemble reminiscent of bygone era.

For the last set of spread shots they went to the roof, using the Parisian skyline washed in sunset hues as the background. A love letter to the City of Love.

Then it was time for the cover shots. Adrien tried not pull a face as he donned a royal blue, button down shirt that was half tucked into a pair low-waisted, black jeans and bright green sneakers with the Gabriel logo boldy on the side. Nothing flashy. Nothing exciting. Even his hair was styled neat and tidy, like a good little boy.

Gabriel arrived just as Christoff began guiding Adrien through the poses. The backdrop of the photo was the west wall of the brick building, graffitied with a grungy, industrial feel. Sporting a pair of Gabriel shades, Adrien smoldered at the camera, peering over the rim of his sunglasses with an impish grin.  

Of course, Gabriel had something negative to say about all of the photos. But in the end the final selections were not his call. Adrien’s smile was glowing and the moon was out by the time he was able to sneak up to the roof for a quick break.

There was a text from Marinette waiting to greet him.

Mari: [hope tonight is going better than this morning.]

His heart did funny things in his chest as he tapped a reply.

[it’s going great. This isn’t father’s normal crew, they’re from the magazine. I actually had fun.]

[helped that my father was absent for most of the pictures]

Mari: [is he there now?]

[yep. I think the project manager wants to kick him off set. lol]

Mari: [just say the word and I will end him]

Adrien laughed. Though she probably wasn’t joking...

[lol. I’ll keep that in mind]

[what are you doing?]

Mari: [taking a bath]

Mari: [the warm water feels great but I’m lonely all by myself] 

Oh. 

Fuck. 

That was so not fair.

[I really wish I was there with you...]

Mari: [quit thinking dirty things, Adrien. I’m trying to get clean.]

Dirty things…

Like all the ways he could get her dirty…

_Her skin sweaty and slick to the touch._

_His cum smeared on her inner thighs._

_Her knees on the floor and his dick in her mouth._

_His scent marking every inch of her body._

_Her taste lingering on his tongue as he kissed her._

[not gonna lie, I’m imagining you naked right now.]

Yeah, that was a fucking understament.

[wait… bubbles or no bubbles?]

Adrien’s phone dinged with a multimedia message. He opened the file and swallowed hard.

The picture was of Marinette’s shapely legs, her peaches and cream skin streaked with suds and glistening in the soft light, one foot crossed over the other and propped on the edge of the tub. Where her thighs pressed together the bath water pooled, obscuring the view of her sex with a layer of bubbles.

[you’re fucking killing me]

Killing him slowly.  

Burning him up from the inside out. 

Adrien’s phone dinged with another picture. He reached down and tried to adjust his aching erection before opening the file.

This image was of Marinette’s chest, the swell of her breasts just above the water line, her nipples hidden by a smattering of bubbles. The top of the picture caught her lips curled in a naughty grin.

That was definitely getting added to the spank bank. 

Mari: [how about now?]

[x_x]

[I’m tapping out. You win.] 

Mari: [lol]

[seriously… do you have any idea how much I want you?]

_All the filthy things I want to do to you?_

[what all this teasing does to me?]

_It makes me want to fuck you so hard you won’t walk straight for a week._

[you are as cruel as you are beautiful and I am at your mercy.] 

_Until I get you alone, baby… then you’re all mine._

Mari: [But you love it.]

Adrien opened the next picture she sent and chuckled. 

It was a close up of Marinette blowing him a kiss surrounded by a sea of bubbles.

[You’re making it hard for me.]

[pun definitely intended]

Mari: [Sorry. It’s just… I want you to spend the night]

Mari: [no morning meetings. no group texts. no interruptions.] 

Mari: [I want your undivided attention.]

Fuck if her honesty didn’t leave him needy and melting.

[Saturday night. I’m all yours. I promise.]

Mari: [I’ll stop teasing now. I have to get out anyway. I’m all pruney.]

Mari: [see you tomorrow, hot stuff.]

He grinned at her choice of wording. 

[until then. sweet dreams, princess]

“Good evening.”

Adrien flinched, startling so violently that he nearly dropped his phone as he finally realized he was no longer alone on the quiet rooftop.

The man, tall and slim with grey in his goatee and at his temples, paused to light the cigarette hanging from his lips. Taking a drag, he pocketed his lighter and flashed Adrien a friendly smile, a lilting accent lacing his words as he said, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to catch you off guard. You seemed engrossed in your conversation.”

“No. It’s alright,” Adrien smiled sheepishly. “I’m usually more observant of my surroundings.”

“It’s understandable. I’d know that look anywhere,” the man laughed, turning his face toward the city lights. 

Curiosity engaged, Adrien gave the man a questioning look. “I’m not sure what that means.”

“Talking to your girlfriend?”

Oh. Yeah. He was probably being super obvious again…  Adrien felt the flush creeping up his neck. “No, just a friend.”

“Ahh, well if she’s “just a friend” now, then she won’t be for long. Or is it a he? I shouldn't assume…”

“She,” Adrien blinked, “Um... forgive me for sounding rude, but... who are you?”

“Niklaus Viestad,” the older man beamed, “freelance journalist partnered with Vouge. I’ll be the one asking you questions in a bit.”

“Technically, you already are,” Adrien quipped, grinning cheekily. 

“Touché,” Niklaus chuckled, blowing out another puff of smoke. “Consider this off the record.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Adrien replied graciously. Slipping his phone back into his pocket, he watched Niklaus inquisitively. “You have an interesting accent. Where are you from?”

“Norway. Born in Oslo. But I’ve lived all over the globe.” Niklaus stubbed out his cigarette, arching a brow at Adrien. “Give you one guess as to why I settled down in Paris.”

Adrien didn’t have to guess. The older man’s grin said it all. “You met a woman.”

“Damn right I did. Most amazing woman in all the world. And you know how I know that?”

Curiosity hadn’t killed this cat yet… “How?”

“Because after twelve years I still look at my Josette the way you look at your friend.” When Adrien cheeks turned pink, Niklaus laughed heartily and started back toward the door. Over his shoulder he called, “Keep that in mind, yeah.”

“I will,” Adrien nodded, watching the interesting man disappear back indoors and silently hoping that decades from now he would be able to say the same about Marinette.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, please forgive any and all typos and grammatical errors. I write between my cell phone and my lap top and I don't have a beta reader so things get lost in between... a lot. lol.
> 
> Okay, so in this fic I wanted Adrien's personal interest to be piano. I see in most stories he wants to pursue physics and really I just wanted to change it up. I also have this head cannon where it's something he had shared with his mom (I could be wrong tho). Any correlation to Twilight was unintentional but since it was mentioned... I think Adrien Agreste could give Edward Cullen a run for his money any day. Just sayin'. 
> 
> I'm wondering if I should change the story summary because this story is going to be as much about Adrien becoming his own man as it is about him banging Mari's brains out, lol. And I promise we will get there. These little hornballs with get plenty of chances to work the kinks out before all is said and done. I just have a thing about scene flow and the character's thought process that I can't rush the sex without proper plot build up first.
> 
> If anyone is interested, this is the play list I've been listening to while writing this fic.
> 
> Inside of You - Hoobastank
> 
> Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
> 
> Love Song - The Cure
> 
> Infrared - Three Days Grace
> 
> Heroine - Badflower
> 
> Hanging by a Moment - Lifehouse
> 
> Under Your Scars - Godsmack


	7. Do Your Worst

 

 

Things were going too smoothly. 

Adrien knew there was a catch somewhere.

It started the night before, when the interview with Niklaus went off without a hitch. It had been awkward with Gabriel breathing down his neck as he answered the journalist’s questions but they were all variations of the usual fare-

_ What are your current projects?   _

_ What does your schedule look like on a normal day? _

_ What do you do in your down time? _

_ What are your plans for the future? _

-and so on and so on. Adrien had no problem giving practiced responses having been coached for years on how to best handle the press. The only bit of true discomfort was when Niklaus had asked the dreaded question.

“What about a romantic interest? Is there a lucky someone that has caught your eye?”

Adrien had tensed imperceptibly, pausing for a moment to see if Niklaus would elaborate or make some reference to their brief conversation on the roof, but the older man simply smiled encouragingly and waited for Adrien to answer. 

“I can’t imagine why people would find my love life interesting. Besides, I think private relationships should remain, well... private,” Adrien had answered with a carefree laugh, hoping like hell that his internal unease wasn’t visible and that Gabriel didn’t pick up on the subtle way he hadn’t actually answered the question. 

Thankfully, Niklaus did not elaborate further and moved onto other questions. The remainder of the interview went by swiftly.

Gabriel didn’t speak a word to his son the entire car ride to the mansion. 

The next morning started off even better for Adrien. He arrived at school to find Marinette waiting with coffee and croissants. They way her expression lit up as she waved him over was completely enchanting. 

“Not that I’m complaining,” he smiled brightly, taking the offered drink, “but what’s the occasion?” 

Taking a sip of her own wake-up juice, Marinette pressed in close to his side as he settled on the step beside her. “Do I need a reason to spoil you? Because I’m sure I can find one, right in between best not-boyfriend ever and boy that is my bestest friend ever.” 

It was totally worth the flush that darkened Adrien’s cheeks as he peered down at his favorite girl. “Not-boyfriend, huh?”

Though really, why the hell was he blushing? He’d already seen Marinette topless like three times now. They were way beyond awkward blushing, right?

“Um… yes. Unless you think I should start sending photos to all of my guy friends when I take a bath…” She blinked up at him innocently.

Damn her big blue eyes. 

Marinette was so pretty and unassuming. Sitting beside him demurely, it was hard to believe that she wasn’t that innocent. But he had a pictures on his phone to prove it, and one of them showed off her lovely legs just as nicely as her high waisted jean shorts did now. And her t-shirt was clever; there was no denying the symbolism in the green eyed, black furred, cartoon cat on the front that really kicked up the artless vibe she exuded. But he knew the truth, that under that kiddie looking shirt her breasts still bore the love bites he’d given her the other night and… fuck! It made him hot under the collar just thinking about it. 

Marinette was his and no one else was going to see that side of her. Come hell or high water he was keeping her all to himself. 

The unpleasant pang in Adrien’s chest was in perfect sync with his frown. “Please don’t. I’d hate to have to kill them.” 

He was only kidding ... okay, more like really dead serious, but no biggie. With enough cheese Plagg would totally help him get rid of the bodies- 

He caught the hint of her smile even as she tried to hide it.

“Geez. That was a joke.” Rolling her eyes, Marinette nudged his arm with her elbow and held out the box of croissants. “Here. Eat up. You need more than a single, cardboard flavored protein bar for breakfast.”

“Okay, do you have a camera in my house or something?” Adrien asked, grasping into the topic change as he tore his croissant in two, stuffing half into his mouth. 

“Yep. I’m a crazy stalker. You caught me.”

Eh. At least they could be crazy together.

“Isn’t stalking more my thing?” he asked, side eyeing his not-girlfriend with a cheeky smirk.

She eyed him right back. “Is this a trick question?”

He scarfed down the other half of his croissant and chewed thoughtfully. One of them had to work up the courage to talk about their alter egos eventually. Maybe if he kept giving gente pushes then one of them would cave?

“I’m a model. They call it a catwalk for a reason, Princess.” He leaned in closer, invading her space. “Rawr.” He winked.

Marinette burst into a fit of giggles. Poking her finger to his nose, she pushed his face back. “Down, Kitty.”

And that was sexy when it really shouldn’t have been because there were several very nice fantasies Adrien had about Ladybug that started out with her doing just that… so what came out of his mouth was not some cheesy pick up line but instead, “I tried going down on you but you wouldn’t let me.”

Oh boy. Where was his freakin’ filter?

Marinette gasped, her eyes widening as her face turned insta-pink. To her credit, however, she didn’t clam up or freak out. She simply lowered her lashes and tilted her head coquettishly. “Next time I won’t stop you. I trust you,” she replied, sounding breathless, “and it’s not... like I wasn’t… planning on returning the favor.”    

“Really? You would?”  _ Yes! Please, please please.... _ Adrien shifted closer, hoping it wasn’t obvious that his hard on was back with a vengeance.  

Marinette took a gulp of her coffee, half hiding behind the paper cup as she nodded  but didn’t look away. 

“Now I’m really looking forward to spoiling my not-girlfriend,” he chuckled. It was a good thing she was holding her cup in between them because Adrien was pretty certain the urge to kiss her was going to win out, especially when she nibbled on her lip just like that-

“Yo, Sunshine, why you all up in Mari’s space?”

Adrien sighed and leaned away, giving Alya a pointed glare as she sauntered up with Nino, her boyfriend’s arm draped over her shoulder and her hand tucked in his back pocket. 

“It’s called conversing. You and Nino should try it sometime. Give your mouths a different kind of workout for a change,” he smiled sweetly. Marinette choked on her coffee trying not to laugh. 

Even with the arrival of their friends, and the good natured teasing that went around as Marinette shared the remaining croissants, the morning went on pleasantly.

Which was why the sound of screams and the cackle of evil laughter that disrupted second period was not unexpected on Adrien’s part. He knew things were going too well.

The akuma was in their school,  _ Fuck You, Assmoth! _ \- and Adrien bolted from class, squeezing his way through the crush of students making a break for the exits. When he came across Alya and Marinette, the fromer dragging his partner away from all of the commotion, he bumped into them purposely, “accidentally” breaking Alya’s hold. 

Marinette shot him a quick grin and disappeared into the crowd. 

“Damn it! Now I’ve lost her.” Alya gave him the stink eye. “You know how slippery she is.”

Adrien wasn’t bothered. “I’ll go after Mari. You go find Nino and stay a safe distance from the line of fire this time,” he grumbled, which she waved off before blending in with the other students. He really wished Alya would listen for once. There was no telling what Hawkmoth’s new ability would do if it hit a civilian and he and LB had their hands full. They didn’t need to babysit Alya as well.  

Four minutes, an empty utility closet and one transformation later, Chat Noir landed beside Ladybug on the school’s roof to survey the damage that was being caused in the courtyard below.  

“Well Bugaboo, this one looks interesting,” Chat mused, noting the way the akuma looked sort of like Pennywise… if it was the love child of Ronald McDonald and Marilyn Manson. He squinted, cocking his head to take in the limp orange hair, pale clown-ish face, ghastly rainbow colored suit and tall, androgynous build. 

One word: Fugly.

“Oh you’re going to love this,” Ladybug grinned. “Calls himself Punchline, his weapon is his right fist and it shoots out like a cannon, hitting people and incapacitating them with laughter. Then reels back in because its on a line. A literal punch on a line.”

“This akuma is a walking pun! Ha!” Chat laughed, “Who knew Hawkbutt has a sense of humor? I sure didn’t.”

“We still need to focus, Kitty.”

“Any idea where the akuma might be?” he asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet, practically chomping at the bit to throw himself into the fight.

“The plastic flower on his lapel? That’s my best guess. I think we should get a closer look, don’t you?” his partner smirked, her blue eyes sparkling as she unclasped her yoyo from her hip, twirling it in a wide circle.

“Most certainly, my Lady.” He winked, then let himself fall, arms spread as he kicked off the roof’s edge and pitched forward into a flip that landed him right in Punchline’s path. Drawing out his baton, Chat locked eyes with the akuma and beamed. “Great name, man. It fits you ‘cause you look like a  _ joke _ .”

“Why thank you, Chat Noir. You could say I have a  _ hand _ for comedy,” Punchline cackled, aiming his fist and letting it fly. When Chat dodged easily, he scowled. “Now hand over your miraculous before I declaw you!”   

From close behind Chat swore he heard Ladybug mutter, “That was terrible.”

It really kind of was. Chat Noir would be doing Paris a disservice if he didn’t school this fool on the finer points of word play.

“That was a  _ cat _ -astrophe.” Chat called out, dodging the flying fist again, using his claws to swipe away debris as the cement was pulverized where had stood.. “You’re not very a- _ mew _ -sing.”

Punchline’s chalk white face turned pink with anger. “For a cat you certainly like to wag your tongue,” he snarled, throwing another punch. 

Ladybug deflected the fist with a sling of her yoyo. It struck the ground leaving a crater that sent more dust and debris into the air. Chat looked to his partner at the same time she looked at him, unspoken communication passing between them. They could use the limited visibility to their advantage. They just needed to goad him into a few more hits and destroy a bit more school property. Good thing Chat was the cat for the job.

Ladybug fell back, letting Chat get in close. “I’m a cat, I do not wag anything. But since I’m  _ feline  _ generous, I’ll give you  _ paw _ -tial credit for trying.” He flung himself out of the way of another blow, keeping his focus trained on Punchline’s face, watching for any sign of a purple mask.

“The only thing I want from you is your ring, kitty!” Punchline sneered, retreating a few steps. 

It wasn’t conscious on his part, but hearing someone else use Ladybug’s nickname for him had Chat bristling, a hiss rising up unbidden in his throat. Apparently he wasn’t the only one that felt that way. Ladybug’s yoyo shot out of the white dust-fog and hit Punchline right in the cheek, jerking his head to the side as she snapped, “Chat Noir is not your kitty. Tell Hawkmoth to go find his own.” 

Chat laughed, tapping the bell at his throat. “I belong to my Lady. I’m  _ puur _ -fectly domesticated, if I do say so myself.”

“Maybe it’s time I take you both to the  _ pound _ !” Punchline cried, swinging blindly toward where Ladybug’s yoyo had come from.  

The swirling dust was thinning and Chat caught a flash of red out of the corner of his eye just as Punchline’s purple butterfly mask appeared, turning white in the span of a heartbeat. He didn’t think. He lunged, throwing his whole body into Ladybug, knocking her clean off her feet. He tried to take the brunt of the fall as they hit the jagged concrete, pain exploding across his back and right shoulder, but there was only so much he could do as Punchline’s fist came a hair’s width from touching him, slamming into the ground right next to Ladybug.   

His partner whimpered as she attempted to move and Chat’s anger sparked to life. He hated knowing Ladybug was hurt. It didn’t matter how supferficial the inury, it was still a fucking injury. Even when it was beyond his control to keep it from happening, well... it still pissed him off something fierce. 

Play time with Punchline was officially over. 

“Stay down LB. I’ll draw him in,” he told her. When she stopped moving he called up cataclysm quietly and then started laughing, loud and obnoxious, just like the poor bystanders that had been hit with Punchline’s power. He kept cataclysm close to his chest, hunching over so the akuma wouldn’t see as it sauntered closer confidently.

Ladybug caught his eye and he winked.

“That’s right,” taunted Punchline, “Laugh Chat Noir. Laugh until you die!” 

When the akuma was close enough that its shadow fell over the pair, Ladybug nodded her head imperceptibly. Punchline reached down and Chat’s laughter died abruptly, replaced by a low growl as he twisted at the waist and made the most of his inhuman flexibility to hook his feet around Punhline’s ankles and knock the akuma flat on its ass. Before the angry clown could begin to bluster, Chat pounced, pinning the akuma down, claws at its throat as he cataclysmed the plastic flower pinned to the akuma’s jacket.  

The akuma’s outline lit up purple and knowing that he was as good as staring his enemy in the eye, Chat’s mouth curled into a shit eating smirk. “Who’s got the last laugh now, Hawkbutt?” 

That was sure to get under the motherfucker’s skin. 

Then the outline vanished along with Punchline’s transformation and Chat’s anger dissipated as well. It would hardly be fair to blame the bewildered boy that was blinking up at him dazedly for being akumatized. The young man had the right to feel whatever emotions he needed to. That was part of living. What wasn’t fair was Hawkmoth using psychological terrorism on the civilians of Paris for his own gain. It was turning into a bloody war of attrition if there ever was one. 

Sometimes Chat wondered how long he and Ladybug could hold out. How long before the people they fought to protect felt their defiance of Hawkmoth was the root of the problem? 

Either you die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the enemy. Would Paris one day see it that way as well?

Pushing the morose thought away to contemplate later, Chat sprang nimbly to his feet and he held out a hand to the akuma victim. As miraculous cure swirled around them, repairing the property damage done and soothing away the ache in Chat’s shoulder as if it had never been, the boy finally looked around, shocked. “Ladybug… and Chat Noir?” Then the poor kid paled. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean… to… to-”

Chat hauled the boy up and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “What’s your name?”

The boy blinked. “Um… Rene…”

Blinding the kid with his most winning smile, Chat spoke gently. “Rene, don’t stress about it. Best thing to do is stay positive, okay.” When he nodded, Chat gave the gangly, copper haired boy a cursory once over. “Are you hurt?” 

“No. I’m… um… not okay... but I think will be.” Rene tried to smile but it looked hard won and Chat feared he might cry. 

Thankfully Ladybug came up on the other side of Rene and placed a comforting hand on his arm. Rene blushed as red as Ladybug’s suit, his eyes wide and more than a little awe struck. 

“Remember, the best way to help Chat Noir and I is to be kind to yourself as well as others. Now, the paramedics would like to check you, just to make sure everything is alright.” Giving Rene’s arm an encouraging pat, Ladybug handed him over to the care of the EMTs and then turned to Chat, disarming him with her brilliant smile.

She held out her fist and Chat bumped it without hesitation, his insides jittering with a heady mix of post battle adrenaline and giddy adoration. Emboldened by their  victory, he caught her hand before she could pull it away and raised it to his lips.

It had been a long time since Chat been so forward with his Lady but the way his not-girlfriend’s eyes positively sparkled told him she didn’t mind in the least.

Then her bluebell eyes narrowed playfully as she snatched her hand away. “Domesticated my ass.” 

“Bugaboo,” Chat gasped, dramatically clutching a clawed hand to his chest, “I am quite the gentle-cat, I assure mew.” 

“You don’t fool me,” she laughed. “But that can be our little secret. Up for patrolling tonight? If you’re free?”

“An army of animal control officers couldn’t keep me away.” 

“Let’s hope we never have to face that…” she replied with a wince, shaking her head. “Time for me to bug out. Later, Kitty.” 

Chat waited until Ladybug disappeared over the nearest rooftop before glancing over to go check one more time on Rene. The boy caught his eye and gave him a wave and a shaky smile which was a pretty good response for someone dealing with the after effects of being emotionally violated. Returning the gesture with a two finger salute, Chat took to the roofs in the opposite direction of his Lady wondering if he could beat her back to class.

 

* * *

 

Adrien did not beat Marinette back to class. 

But that was okay because he spent all afternoon biting back a smug smile as Alya, and just about everyone else that kept up with Paris’ miraculous duo, flew into a tizzy over Chat Noir’s blatant flirting. Apparently it had not gone unnoticed that everyone’s favorite black cat had curbed his advances toward his partner. So to see his kittenish side back in action- and even more attention getting was Ladybug’s obvious pleasure at the attention- had speculations flying and shippers heart’s soaring.

Adrien had simply kicked back and let the gossip run free, smirking every time he caught Marinette watching him with a half-hearted glare. Try as she might to deny it, he caught her blush whenever someone wondered if Chat Noir had ever done more than kiss his Lady’s hand.

Later, after two hours of Chinese lessons in which Adrien had to physically restrain himself from humming under his breath as he filled out his worksheets, he pulled up the Ladyblog and went over footage from the fight that morning. 

It had been a very straightforward confrontation. Even more rare was that Ladybug only had to summon lucky charm to activate miraculous cure. He could count on one hand how many times that had happened. All in all, definitely one of their better battles.

Still, Adrien focused on the moment when Punchline’s mask turned, trying to see if there were any other indicators he’d missed, or anything that might tip them off and give them more than a three second warning. But there was nothing. Even in slow motion, the only warning was the akuma’s mask flaring white. 

Adrien had been holding out hope that wasn’t the case but it swiftly shifted into frustration when he realized he had even more cause for concern. It would be so easy to get distracted and miss the signal. Or worse, he could be taking on an akuma’s minions nowhere near his partner leaving her completely undefended against Hawkmoth’s amped up attack.  

Because make no mistake: Hawkmoth was aiming for Ladybug, not Chat Noir.

Ladybug was strong and there was no dispute from Adrien that she could hold her own and throw down with any akuma, any time, any where. And if recharging Tikki was the only inconvenience she faced then he wouldn’t worry quite so much. Recharging mid battle was something they’d become quite proficient at and while he wouldn't like it, he’d certainly take it over the possibility that his partner could very well be fatally injured.  

There had been several times Chat Noir had “died” in battle. But there was a distinct difference when he knew Plagg was at full power and so was Ladybug. It made it less frightening, in a way. It didn’t seem quite as final. 

This was a game changer and without some kind of advantage in their corner, Adrien was stressing, bad. But it also gave him an idea.

“Hey, Plagg?”

There was a crinkling noise from his nightstand and then toxic eyes peered over the tim of the cheeto bag, wide and curious. “Yeah?” 

“If Hawkmoth gets a power up then does that mean Ladybug and I can get one too?” Adrien asked, trying not to get his hopes up.

The cat kwami shrugged. “Tikki isn’t stingy with her powers. She gives everything she’s got to her bugs from the start.”

Which made sense. He’d always wondered why Ladybug had two abilities, even though one piggybacked off the other. Cataclysm was awesome but it was also a singular attack which in turn meant that it didn’t leave much room for adaptation.

Adrien was just starting to feel disappointed when he was struck with what Plagg didn’t say. “Tikki isn’t stingy but you are…” He frowned at his kwami, his feelings more than a little hurt. “All this time you’ve been holding out on me.”

Plagg blinked innocently and stuffed a cheeto into his mouth. “Ah nevuh thaid tshat.”

“Plagg…”

Floating up and out of the bag, the kwami phazed incorporeal, showering cheese dust all over Adrien’s desk, before blinking back into a physical state with shiny clean fur. Stretching out his little arms, Plagg yawned widely. “I’m tired. It’s nap time.”

“Plagg!” Adrien folded his arms and glowered his kwami.

“I don’t know why you think I'm lying,” the furball groused. “That hurts, Adrien. Right here.” He patted his backside, the  _ you’re-a-pain-in-my-ass _ loud and clear.  

If the information being withheld wasn’t so crucial, Adrien would have laughed. As it was, it was time to pull out the big guns. “I will hold the camembert ransom if I have to,” he warned.

“You know, there is more than one way to skin a cat,” Plagg grinned menacingly. “I’ll go stay with Bugsy then. She’s a sucker for a sob story. I’m sure she’ll treat me with the respect I deserve.”

There was bluster in his kwami’s words. After four years, Adrien could read Plagg and knew when the kwami was serious and when he was posturing. Plagg wasn’t angry, he was nervous.

“You’re… Plagg are you scared?” Adrien asked in pure amazement... but then the disturbing realization of exactly who was scared and why hit him like a brick to the head. “Holy shit!” he gasped, “Exactly how powerful can you make me?”

“Kid, drop it.” All pretenses faded as Plagg’s voice went flat. “My power never does anything good for anyone. It’s dangerous.”

Dangerous...

Perhaps he should take Plagg’s warning seriously and be more cautious of the situation at hand, but he was tired of playing by the rules.

Adrien was forced to be prudent in every other aspect of his life. As the Agreste heir it was imperative that he be mindful of his choices because there was always a corresponding consequence hanging over his head like a fucking guillotine blade. So he had to keep himself in check; ignore the taste he’d developed for defiance and bide his time until the next adrenaline high all the while acting the part of a perfectly well-bred shmuck.

Dangerous?

Since when had _that_ ever deterred him in the past? 

Chat Noir wasn’t known for hesitation, especially when it came to defending his Lady. Adrien wasn’t scared of a little danger either. 

Spinning his chair to face his kwami, Adrien stared Plagg down, his expression equally as fierce. “Danger is my middle name.”

“Your middle name is Audric because the pompous one likes alliteration.” Plagg deadpanned. 

“And you may as well quit deflecting.” They both knew Adrien could be quite patient and exceedingly tenacious once he dug his heels in. 

“You ain’t gonna let it go,” Plagg sighed, his tiny ears drooping in defeat.

“No I’m not. Whatever power up you can give me, I can handle it. I know I can.”

Famous last words… probably.

“Fine,” Plagg hissed, zipping right into Adrien’s face, close enough to nearly make his eyes cross, “But don’t say I didn't warn you. ‘Cause I am. I’m saying this is a bad idea. Usually when bad luck says something is bad, you should listen.”

“I know you’re worried about me-”

“Anyone with half a brain should worry about you!” Plagg cried, swatting Adrien’s nose for good measure.

“Hey!” he squawked, rubbing away the sting. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“It means that I’m onto you. Don’t even bother with the kitten eyes. I know how your mind works. You play the nice guy card but in here-” Plagg thumped Adrien’s forehead, “-there is a force to be reckoned with. You let people underestimate you but I know what your capable of.” Folding his tiny arms, Plagg glared at his chosen through slitted eyes, his fangs bared. “There’s a reason your my wielder kid, and it ain’t because you’re a ray of sunshine.”

Adrien stifled the urge to squirm, not at all comfortable with being called out on his bullshit and then having it put on display. “I try to be a good person, Plagg,” he replied in a small voice.

“Yeah yeah yeah…” Plagg waved his paw dismissively. “That’s the only reason I'm considering this,” the kwami admitted. “If I thought you could stomach sitting back and watching the world disintegrate then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Which was a very telling statement in and of itself and Adrien winced. “I always wondered if you’ve had a wielder go rouge before. Guess now I know the answer.”

Plagg nodded somberly, his tone unyielding. “I’ve had to put down a few rabid cats in my time. I don’t like it but I will do it. I’d rather that not happen to you.” 

“See! You do like me,” Adrien quipped, but it was a weak attempt at humor.

Plagg merely rolled his eyes. “You feed me. Of course I tolerate you.”

For a long moment both boy and kwami started at each other down, neither blinking or flinching. Adrien wasn’t sure what Plagg was looking for but the small deity must have found it because he pulled a face, muttering something about cheese and assholes. 

“You want to know what this new attack does?” his kwami asked and Adrien nodded harder than a bobble head. “Fine. It’s called Unlucky Streak. Literally turns you into unbound chaos for thirteen seconds.”

“That sounds cool!” 

“Uh, sure…” Plagg gave him an odd look. “Listen up. This is really important. You can’t screw this part up. In this state you can destroy anything. Nothing is too big or too small. The catch is once you destroy something it goes bye bye. Gone. Done. Not even miraculous cure will bring it back.”

Ahh… Suddenly Adrien understood why this had the potential to end badly. It was a one time deal. No refunds. No take-backs. “Wow,” he breathed out heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. “Okay, so I have to be super careful. Got it.”

“That's not even the dicey part, kid,” Plagg warned, “You _ become _ destruction. That darkness inside of you… It will take over. If you can’t control it, it will destroy you.”

Oh. So he was going to have to get nice and cozy with his inner demons? That didn’t sound any worse than dealing with Gabriel on a bad day. “I can survive thirteen seconds,” Adrien boasted bravely.

“If you can’t fight it, the corruption will devour you instantly. And there are side effects-”  

Side effects? 

“-as in the more you use it the more it will rot you from the inside out,” Plagg gave Adrien a look that was as close to pleading as he’d ever seen his kwami get. “Look kid, let’s just forget about it.”

He’d always known being Chat Noir would come with a price.

“No can do. It’s risky, I admit, but if this is the advantage we need then bring it on.”  Adrien managed a confident smile. “No self preservation remember?”

His kwami, however, was having none of it and pointedly looked away, bristling. “You know what, ask Bugsy. See what she has to say about this. Let her weigh the risks.”

Adrien shook his head with a derisive snort. “Like hell. She’ll say no.”

“I should say no,” Plagg snapped.

“But you won’t,” Adrien grinned, only because he wasn’t going to wait around and give Plagg the chance. “Claws out!” 

Chat Noir was out of his bedroom window and running full tilt before the call of his transformation finished echoing throughout his cavernous room.

 

* * *

 

Père Lachaise Cemetery was always full of tourists. 

Chat Noir draped himself across the thick tree branch, his arms and legs dangling over the side as he rested boneless against the rough bark. Below his perch amidst the dappling green leaves, people with visors and fanny packs milled about taking pictures and gawking at the final resting place of the internationally famous actress Emilie Agreste. 

Chat peered down, silent and unnaturally still as a young woman pulled out her cell phone to take a quick selfie, smiling at the camera as she made the peace sign with her fingers. His tail flicked, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. Another woman, another nameless, faceless stranger, set down a red rose adding to the small pile of flowers and cards and other meaningless tokens left by other nameless, faceless tourists.  

Adrien hated roses. They were his mother’s favorite flower and the mansion had been filled with bouquet after bouquet in the weeks after Emilie’s passing. Even now, seven years later, he cringed when faced with rose-scented anything, always brought low by the sudden hollowness that would sucker-punch him in the chest. 

It was almost as bad watching complete strangers making a gaudy spectacle of his mother’s grave, free to come and go as he was not.

Adrien wasn’t allowed to visit his mother’s tomb, not without his body guard and either his father or Nathalie and at least a months notice so that the tomb could be sequestered off to allow the Agreste family a measure of privacy. 

Needless to say Adrien hadn’t been to visit his mother’s grave in almost two years.

Chat Noir, however, was a regular, some might say… not that the general public knew he was there. Usually Chat kept his visits to after cemetery hours where he could sit on the trinket cluttered steps that led up to Emilie’s towering tomb and talk to her quietly, filling her in on what was currently going on in his life, mostly thinking out loud and pretending that she could hear him.  

While Adrien was good at pretending, Chat didn’t have to. Sometimes he cried but no so much anymore. In the years since Emilie’s passing he had come to the conclusion that she was in a better place, even if it was sleeping peacefully in a void of nothingness. He liked to think that if there was such a thing as heaven then his mother would be there, cancer free and eternally happy. And if people did come back then hopefully he’d find her again, in another life. 

But today Chat wasn’t here to pay his respects. He was here to remember Emilie. Staring at the elegantly carved angels that stood sentinel beside the doors the crypt, Chat tried to focus on the memory of her voice, her warm smile and even warmer hugs.  

Emilie Agreste had been adored because she was a generous, spirited and compassionate person at heart. The very qualities that Adrien and Chat Noir strived very hard to emulate as well. 

But Plagg’s assessment of his ambiguous moral code had left Chat unsettled and in desperate need of a moment to think without his kwami’s grumpy commentary. He had to clear his head. Ladybug expected her partner to have his shit straight. There was no backing down from his demons now.

Plagg knew his wielder, inside and out. He knew there was a backbone of steel hidden behind Adrien’s timid smile. That for as kind and as well meaning as Adrien genuinely was, sometimes his thoughts were vicious. That while his anger was slow to ignite, once it did Adrien could be cruel with his words and his actions. That every so often Adrien couldn’t swallow down the frustration and disappointment any longer and the need to lash out at everything was nearly overwhelming. 

All of that ugliness was hidden carefully behind Adrien’s pretty face, but Plagg saw it for what it was.

Only Plagg knew that while his social aptitude still had a long way to go, Adrien usually played up his dorky, goofball nature even more because it lulled people into thinking he was harmless. No one thought twice about letting their guard down around sweet, clueless, little Adrien.  

What would they say if they knew that Adrien chose to be like his mother? That he reaffirmed that choice everyday because, like Emilie, he had an empathetic heart and he refused to see it as a weakness. Emilie never apologized for being soft-hearted and that was something he tried very hard not to forget.

But the truth was; Adrien could be manipulative, he could be ruthless and he could be as cold as ice. 

He was Gabriel Agreste’s son, after all. He’d learned from the very best.   

So did that mean the darkness might drag him down with it? Because underneath all the polish and charm he was a bastard like his father?

Plagg’s power was abrasive and domineering, it was rage and ruin that yielded to no one. He understood that much just from using cataclysm. But to willingly take that power into himself and allow it to consume him? He had to be fucking crazy.

It was obvious that he would have to bend the power to his will… but how? Assertiveness had never been a strong characteristic of his. While he could dig his heels in and not be swayed when properly motivated, he wasn’t sure that would be enough in this situation. 

Should he treat it like a battle to be fought? Because Chat wasn’t one to back down from a fight, no matter what the stakes. 

Would that be enough? Maybe. But Chat Noir was freedom, not restraint, and that was the real problem. Underneath the magical armor and devil-may-care attitude,  Adrien was a powder keg of negative feelings kept bottled up for far too long. 

Adrien was good at pretending he was okay, even when he wasn’t. Chat Noir didn’t need to be okay, as long as he kept his Lady safe and kicked ass in the process, it was a win. Not this time, though.  

If there was ever a time he needed to remember the good things, this would be it. That was why he’d come to visit Emilie’s grave. To remember that he was a part of her too. 

Could that be enough to harness his demons?

Adrien Agreste was only a shadow in his mother’s footsteps, a lost young man hoping to be at least half the person that Emilie was in life. Chat Noir was born from the darkness, the shadow to Ladybug’s light.   

A rush of warmth surged in Chat’s chest as he latched onto that thought. Ladybug was his achor and their partnership gave him purpose. He could chase his mother’s ghost all he wanted but at the end of the day, Emilie was gone. And while Adrien would do his best to honor his mother’s memory by being the kind of man she would’ve been proud of, Chat Noir was done playing nice.

There was nothing that Chat wouldn’t do for his Lady. There was no limit to how far Adrien would go to keep Marinette safe. She was his home. She was his life. Without the light, shadows couldn’t exist and he didn’t mind playing dirty if it gave them a chance to take out Hawkmoth once and for all

He’d risk being consumed by his own darkness. Hell, he’d do it with a fucking smile. That’s how Chat Noir rolled. Still, he couldn’t exactly tell his Lady the risks. 

He hated the idea of lying to Ladybug, but there was no way he could tell her the whole truth, not without his partner taking a cautious stance and trying to analyze the potential hazards rationally- and honestly, he wasn’t feeling it. Chat was itching for action, the temptation of having a new ability dangled before him simply too much to resist. The curiosity was eating at him like acid, eroding his self-control and inciting his recklessness tendencies. 

Marinette couldn’t catastrophize his abilities if she didn’t know its potential for failure; so in this case, what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. That was the point of all this, to make sure nothing Hawkmoth did could touch her, no matter what he threw their way. And if Chat had to lie by omission in order to take the necessary risks, well, it wouldn’t be the first time they’d chosen to withhold information from each other for the sake of their partner’s best interest. He doubted it would be the last. 

Plagg wouldn’t approve but the furball could suck it up. Chat wasn’t inclined to to listen to anything his kwami had to say.

It was painfully childish but at moments like this he really wished he could talk to his mother one more time. 

Lost in is reviere, Chat almost didn’t notice the steady stream of tourists had dwindled down to a trickle. Tuning back into his surroundings, he realized the sun was sinking low on the horizon and soon it would set completely. Ladybug was more than likely waiting on him already. Tucking his long limbs into a crouch, he pulled out his baton and opened the map only to find that, sure enough, her red dot was stationary at their patrol starting point. 

His partner hadn’t sent a message, no doubt she was aware of his location and didn't want to intrude. He tapped out a quick message.

[on my way, Bugaboo]

Ladybug: [take your time. I’ll be here.]

Chat knew his Lady would wait, she would encourage him to take as long as he needed and not complain one bit. Her ability to care so deeply was only one of many reasons why she meant the world to him. That steeled his resolve. 

He’d sought out his mother’s grave in hopes of gaining a better perspective and visiting Emilie always seemed to help calm him when he was upset. He still wasn’t entirely sure he could do this but his mind was made up. He had to try.  

“Love you, Mom,” he whispered in farewell. Then, with barely a rustle of leaves, Chat leaped from his treetop perch and set off to meet his partner.

By the time he reached their rooftop, Chat was in brighter spirits. 

“Are you okay?” Ladybug asked, coming over to his side the second his skidded to a stop. “I didn't want to interrupt.”  

“I’m fine.” Chat met her worried scrutiny with an open, honest smile. “I’m okay. I promise.” Of course she was still on edge after the bullshit with his father yesterday. He should've expected that. Taking her hand in his, he rubbed her knuckles soothingly with his thumb. “I had some free time and a visit was overdue. That’s all.”

Technically it wasn’t a lie, it just wasn’t the truth either… 

“Okay.” The tension seemed to drain out of her shoulders as her expression relaxed. “Good.” 

“Yes. It has been a good day, all things considered,” he said, laughing out right when Ladybug narrowed her eyes at him much the same way she had when out of the mask all afternoon. “I mean, I coulda lived without the akuma earlier but, then again, I never turn down the opportunity to see your beautiful face.”

His partner tried to appear unimpressed, key word tried. The pinkening of her cheeks along the edge of her mask gave her away. “You can’t see my face, dork.”

Actually, he could see Ladybug’s face perfectly in the growing darkness and peering down at her Chat had to wonder: How in the hell did he miss the connection between Ladybug and Marinette before? The spotted mask did pathetically little to conceal the fact that it was Marinette staring up at him with a sassy little grin.  

As the weight of that set in, Chat’s heart rolled over belly up in his chest, assuming the submissive position because apparently it knew when it was completely owned and wasn’t even going to pretend to put up a fight. 

Being the hopeless romantic that he was, there may as well have been pink, sparkly hearts in Chat’s eyes as he replied, “With or without spots, to me you’re the most beautiful girl in the whole world.”

It wasn’t his imagination when her lidded gaze flicked down to lips. He leaned in, hoping to steal a few kisses, but the movement snapped hs partner out of her daze and she took a step back, her nose scrunching up adorably. “Keep that up and you’re going to give me a toothache.”

“Not my fault you’re so sweet. Must be all those cookies you eat,” he teased. 

“Now I know why your lines are so cheesy,” she quipped in reply.

He couldn't resist. She gave him the perfect opening and everything… “You know you love  _ brie _ and I’m pretty  _ fondue  _ you too.”

“Cute.” If Ladybug rolled her eyes any harder they’d roll right out of her head. “Real cute.” 

“I thought so, my Lady.”

She pulled her hand from his to flick his bell as she huffed playfully, “Are you trying to be funny? Because I promise you’re not.”

“Meow-ch,” he pouted, slipping in a touch of low wattage kitten eyes for added effect. “I sup-paws you want me to stop now?”

“Ooh you’re so…. Ugh!” Tugging on her pigtails, she cast a long suffering look to the evening sky. “What did I do to deserve this?” she whined.

Watching his partner intently with his hands clasped behind his back, Chat rocked on the balls of his feet, the picture of innocence. “Just lucky, I guess.”

She jabbed a finger in his direction, struggling not to smile. “No, buddy. It’s more like you’re lucky I have a soft spot for you.”

“Oh I am,” he agreed, as docile as tiger stalking its dinner. “Probably the only bit of luck this black cat will ever have.” By the time Ladybug realized his intention, Chat had already lunged forward, pinning her between his broad chest and the brick chimney at her back. “I must confess, I aim to find every single one of your soft spots.”

Nose to nose she blinked up at him, pupils blown so wide the blue of her eyes was barely visible. He half expected her to push him away, to try and keep some pretense of boundaries between them, but she surprised him when she merely reached up to loop her arms around his neck. “You’re a shameless tomcat,” she laughed breathlessly.

“Only fur you,” he purred, pushing his luck as he slid his hands down to cup her ass.

Blushing, Ladybug grinned. “Your girlfriend might say differently.”

“Something tells me she’s tickled pink right now.” To emphasize his point, he pressed a soft kiss to her warm cheek.   

“Chat…” Her tone was somewhere between a warning and a plea as she turned her head to catch his lips.

He pressed a quick kiss to her mouth followed by another and then another, keeping them chaste and sweet. If they got hot and heavy right now he suspected they’d never leave the rooftop and as tempting as that was, they had a job to do and he could be responsible when he needed to be. Besides, Ladybug’s spotted suit was sexy as hell but if he were being honest, he’d much rather get her out of it. Sadly, now wasn’t the time for that.   

When she nibbled at his lip, attempting to take the kiss further, he pulled away, chiding gently, “Ah-ah, Bugaboo. We have patrol remember.” Reluctantly letting go of her soft backside, he tapped her on the nose, laughing madly as she gawked at him in disbelief. “Catch me if you can.” He winked. 

As Chat bounded off the roof, his pants uncomfortably tight and his heart soaring, the only sound louder than his whooping laughter was his partner’s infuriated shriek.

“Get back here you mangy cat!”

 

* * *

 

Later, after the moon had risen and his partner had her fill of chasing him across the city, Chat didn’t go home as he allowed Ladybug assume. Instead he found himself on the roof of an abandoned warehouse, the massive structure dilapidated and unfit for use. The surrounding buildings were in the same state of disrepair, the entire area marked for demolition which was perfect for what he was about to do. 

Unsure what to expect, Chat sucked in a deep breath, and braced himself. “Unlucky Streak!”

Only nothing happened.

He checked himself and then glanced around, stumped when nothing seemed changed. What the hell? Plagg had made it sound dangerous. Why didn’t it work? 

Maybe he needed to summon cataclysm first?

“Cataclysm!” When the chaos energy began crackling in his palm, Chat held out his hand. “Unlucky Streak!”  

For a second Chat thought it failed. He was about to start cussing when he felt it; the cold, ravenous seeping void that began to engulf his hand, spreading like decay as it traveled up his arm. A scream well up in Chat’s throat, a stab of pure panic squeezing his insides like a vice, but the power was spreading fast, too fast, and the cold was burning his skin, numbing his bones. 

Looking down, Chat watched in horror as his body began to dissolve…

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure I like how this chapter came out. I feel like it was kind of rushed, maybe... Idk. I hated to make you guys wait so long for an update but I'm dealing with a household full of sicklings right now (damn weather change) and finding the time to write was damn near impossible. I hope this chapter was satisfactory.
> 
> I wanted to play around with Adrien's issues a bit in this chapter. I know we all love the kid cuz he's a total cinnamon roll but I feel like a child raised by Gabriel-I'm-the-worst-narcissist-ever-Agreste is going to be able to play people just like his father. I feel Adrien chooses to not be like his father even though he very much can be if provoked. I also think Adrien avoids confrontation because he wants to be liked, not because he's a coward.
> 
> I will straight up admit, I suck at writing action scenes. The akukuma fight took me for freakin' ever to write. Seriously, I wanted to bang my head against the keyboard many times. But I made it! Yay! Now I can focus on the next chapter and fixing the evil cliffy I left you guys with...


	8. All of Me

Plagg was right.  

Of all the panicked thoughts that could possibly go through Chat Noir’s head as his body literally turned into a coalesced ball of crackling, devouring, energy- Really? That was the best he could come up with? 

At least his awareness didn’t dissolve along with his physical state. He thought he would be infused with power, not become the power itself.

 _“You become destruction."_  

He really should've listened to Plagg. Or maybe he should have thought to ask if there was a way to release the attack and get his body back. Fuck! He kind of needed his body. Like, being a floating ball of death was cool and all but he was done now. He didn’t want to play this game anymore.

_13_

The beep sounded in Chat’s mind like the soft echo of a gong, deep and reverberating as the last speck of his physical form crumbled away. From within the volatile energy that was trying to become one with his consciousness, a thread of darkness began to weave between his thoughts. 

 _Infect_ , it whispered. 

 _Unmake_ , it hummed.

 _Destroy_ , it snarled.

_12_

Part of Chat was appalled and very much terrified. There was no mistaking the corrosive force that was Plagg’s essence and it was trying to consume him- No, corrupt him... spread its putrescence and lay waste to everything that stood before him until nothing remained. Until the world as he knew it was only a memory. 

Part of Chat wanted to obey. 

_11_

It was a strange sensation, to have his intention redirected with the sheer force of a thousand voices screaming for chaos to reign. He could barely think, the cacophony was loud and jarring- 

_Contaminate._

_Rot._

_Annihilate._

No. 

No!

Control. Discipline. Harness. Use the power. How? 

_10_

Chat’s searched around frantically, his attention caught by the metal pipework exposed by a rusted and crumbling panel to his right. If he touched the third pipe down, the one _he_ decided on lit up with black and green stripes. 

Odd. He only now noticed that everything around him was washed out in varying shades of grey, as if he were looking at the world through and old photograph, the pipe he was choosing being the only splash of color. 

_9_

So if he spread the power to the pipe-

_Wreck._

_Ravage._

_Eradicate._

Focus! Fucking focus!

The pipe. Touch…? How to move? 

_8_

Chat thought about moving forward and then he was, zipping quickly with more momentum than he anticipated. He smacked into the pipe. Instantly it began to decay, the black, ravenous power consuming the metal until only an empty space remained, the decay traveling along the metal until it disappeared out of sight.

Only it didn't, not quite. 

_7_

Chat could still see the pipe in his mind, following along with the energy as it ate away at the metal until the pipe crumbled away inch by inch. 

_Ruin._

_Smite._

_Devastate._

But the erosion was spreading to other things as well, such as the fasteners and bolts that secured the pipe to the wall and intersecting points where the main line tied into smaller veins. It wasn’t streamlined in its destructive path. It was like the nature of bad luck itself, it was spreading outward.

_6_

_Corrode._

_Fracture._

_Obliterate._

How far would it spread? Would it stop? Could it be stopped?

The pipe was no more. Gone. Just a trail of dust.

Was that only the beginning? Because he could see more items striping green and black- support beams, walls, ceiling tiles, flooring, more pipes- going all the way down to the basement.  

 _5_  

A tremor ran through the building.  

_Blight._

_Shatter._

_Poison._

Chat could barely hear over the black noise echoing within, but he did catch the groaning sound that came from below him, as if the warehouse was creaking and shuddering in pain. 

_4_

There was beauty in the unraveling. There was purpose. It was inevitable. There was no need to hold back-

Don’t listen! Think!

_Pestilence._

_Taint._

_Deteriorate._

How to fix it? Stop it?

_3_

Why stop?

The temptation was strong and tantalizing, playing tug of war with Chat’s will, screeching and wailing, drowning out his rationale under a punishing onslaught that tried to crush him. The power wanted to pour out of him. It squirmed and clawed trying to be free. 

It wanted to rage. 

To scourge the entire world. 

All he had to do was let it out. 

_2_

No.

There was something else. It was tugging at him. Something he needed to remember.

Red ribbons. Black spots. Bluebell eyes. Vanilla and sugar. 

Creation. 

Life.

Love.

Those were beautiful things too.

His mind buckled, the edges cracking and tearing.

_Raze._

_Plague._

_Extinction-_

_1_

The pressure broke and simultaneously the darkness began to recede.

Reality, both physical and perceived, came back to Chat in slow succession. First was the blessed silence that filled his mind, his thoughts his own once more. Then it was the tingling pain, like the worst case of pins and needles he’d ever experienced, as his body reformed in a matter of seconds. But the last, and in this case it was certainly not the least, was the exhaustion that filled him, bone deep and nauseating, as his shaky legs collapsed under his weight. He couldn’t even brace the fall with his arms, they were about as strong as jello.

Everything hurt. Even his hair hurt. Blinking, breathing, thinking… all of it hurt.

Mental note: Never do this again.

It wasn’t until the roof shook followed by an awful racket somewhere within the slowly disintegrating structure that Chat forced his eyes open. The black ball of fur that sprawled out beside his face blinked at him, its tail flicking.

“You suck,” Plagg grumbled.

Oh. He was Adrien now. No wonder he hurt so fucking much. Wincing, he tried to offer his kwami an apologetic smile but his lips barely moved.  

Plagg rolled his eyes angrily. “I need cheese. You need to break Unlucky Streak. Then you might want to call your driver ‘cause I don’t give a rat’s ass how you get home, I’m taking a nice long nap.”  

“I got questions.” Adrien managed to mutter.

“Sure. Now you do,” Plagg hissed. “Guess what? I don’t care.” Glaring, the kwami made gimme motions with his paws. “Cheese! Now!”

It was an act of herculean strength for Adrien to roll his body enough to reach the wedge of cheese in his pocket. He mewed pitifully at having to move again to hand the cheese to Plagg. “You didn’t tell me it would hurt so much.

“Your body was taken apart and then put back together on a molecular level. Of course it’s gonna hurt.” Plagg replied, shoving the wedge into his mouth and swallowing it whole. “First time is always the worst. You’ll feel better after some sleep.”

“Mmm. Sleep.”

“Stay here. I’m gonna go see how to break the streak,” Plagg said, then zipped off into the inky darkness. 

Left to his own devices, Adrien figured the first thing he should do was sit up. The warehouse was shuddering, becoming more unstable by the second, which meant that he needed to get off the roof as quickly as possible and that definitely involved moving. Clenching his teeth against the bone deep ache in his limbs, he pushed himself upright only to have his vision waver dizzily. He wasn’t sure he could stand, not with his head spinning as fast as a merry-go-round. 

Suddenly Plagg was in his face, placing a paw on each cheek to get his attention. “Listen up. You need to cataclysm this building. If you don’t all that misfortune you unleashed will just keep spreading. You need to draw it back. Right now it’s still contained inside but if you don’t break the streak it won’t stop on its own.”

“Is that how it works?”Adrien asked, blinking his eyes as if that would help him see straight.

Plagg gave his face a shake. “Cataclysm now. Explanation later.”  

“Where should I…?”

“The roof will do. But, kid, this is going to be the most powerful cataclysm you’ve ever cast. The second you release it, I suggest you run.”

“Cataclysm. Roof. Run. Got it. Claws out!” As the transformation took over Adrien’s body, his discomfort ebbed to a tolerable level and his head cleared of the cobwebs that slowed his thoughts. The building gave an ominous tremble and he wasted no time leaping to his feet. “Cataclysm!” 

The black energy crackled to life and he slammed his palm down to the top of the building, watching with satisfaction as the concentrated decay began it’s path of destruction. Then as the first beep of his miraculous sounded in his ear, Chat took off like a bullet in the direction of home.

His plan was to make it as close to the mansion as he could before his transformation gave way. He made it farther than he expected but not as far as he’d hoped. When the last beep echoed in Chat’s ear he was still a fifty minute walk from where he needed to be. Luckily, he was back in familiar territory and the twenty-four hour convenience store on the corner was exactly what he needed.

Hiding beside the dumpster, far enough down the alleyway that he wouldn’t be seen, Adrien caught Plagg in his shaking palm as the tiny god glared up at him weakly. “I’m sorry, Plagg,” he spoke quietly, “You were right, I was wrong. I should have listened. My feeble human brain simply could not fathom the awesome but terrible power you could bestow upon me.”

“Fucking smart ass.” Plagg's fanged grin was a welcomed sight. 

“Is it working?” Adrien grinned back, and then yelped as his legs gave out and he slid down the brick wall landing hard on his backside.

“Since this is as close as I’m going to get to the respect I deserve, keep going.”

“If you would only forgive me I will attempt with the utmost diligence to heed your warnings in the future.”

“And…”

“And what?” Adrien asked, eyeing his kwami warily.

“Two wheels of Camembert a day from now on or you walk home on those wobbly toothpicks you call legs and I tell Bugsy everything.”

Opportunistic little shit.

“One wheel a day for a month,” Adrien countered.

“Two wheels, three weeks.”

“Two weeks.”

“Done!” Plagg rubbed his paws together excitedly. “Now go buy me the cheap stuff so I can get your sorry ass home.”

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Adrien did not want to wake up.  

Having crawled into bed just after midnight, the five hours he’d managed to sleep only felt like a tease. As Plagg had promised, rest had done wonders to ease the aches and pains, and the nausea too. But that didn’t mean he was ready to pry his bleary eyes open and face the pale, amber glow of dawn that was just beginning to light up the sky. He pulled himself out of bed by the hardest.

Adrien was used to routine, relied on it  even, but this morning he forwent his tri-weekly am workout and immersed himself in a warm shower instead, the pounding water helping to wake him up completely. He was relieved to find that his thoughts were coherent and clear. He’d gone to bed with his brain feeling foggy and sluggish- just another nasty after effect of Unlucky Streak, he supposed- and it settled some of his unease to feel lucid and in control of his own head.

But Adrien wasn’t a hundred percent. 

Staring at his reflection in the mirror, the truth was written plain as day on his face. There was deep, bruising circles under his bloodshot eyes; nothing that a dab of concealer couldn’t fix, but made all the more prominent by his sickly pale complexion. He had to be extra careful shaving as slight tremors ran through his hands, a similar quivering in his biceps, calves and thighs. And underneath it all was an underlying lethargy that he couldn't seem to shake. 

By the time Adrien left for school, he was as put together as he could manage and he hoped it was enough. As he expected, he didn’t fool Marinette, Nino or Alya, but no one else gave him a second look then that was perfectly fine. 

The ever classic “I didn’t sleep well” seemed to mollify his bestie but Alya felt compelled to offer researched advice on sleeping aids while Marinette watched him through the corner of her eye, her expression letting him know that she clearly was not buying his flimsy excuse. 

It wasn’t until trig that Marinette began to put the pieces together. The classroom was filled with chatter as the students waited for Mlle Lamoreux to arrive. Adrien was twisted around in his seat, resting his chin on his forearm as Alya scrolled through the news feed on her phone.

“Where is it? Like I just saw it five minu- Hah! Here it is.“ She pushed her glasses up and tapped at her phone before turning it around for her companions to see. “This is all that’s left of a warehouse on Rue Aimrault. It was discovered this morning by police during a standard patrol of the area.”

The picture was small but high resolution so there was no mistaking the enormous ash pile in the middle of a large patch of dead earth. Mixed in with the ash were bits of debris in varying stages of rusted, molded decomposition. The ground surrounding the pile was ravaged, as if the dirt were somehow scorched, or more accurately, had the essence of life sucked right out of it.

It looked like the work of cataclysm... only not.

“Think it was Chat Noir?” asked Nino, puzzled.

“Definitely has his style written all over it.” Alya agreed.

Adrien opened his mouth to try and deflect but it was Marinette that answered. “That’s not how cataclysm works. The magical nature of Chat Noir’s powers limit the attack to a single object. To get that level of destruction…” her voice trailed off as she turned to look at Adrien and he had to fight the urge to squirm. 

“Mari’s got a point,” he added, surprised at how blasé he sounded with her astute blue eyes watching him intently. “It’s a one and done. He’d have to cataclysm everything in the building individually and that makes no sense.”

“It probably wouldn’t leave scars in the ground like that either,” Alya mused aloud.

A simple cataclysm didn’t leave behind scars. 

Cataclysm didn’t spread like the bubonic plague, either.    

Before they could discuss it further, Mlle Lamoreux called the class to attention and Adrien breathed a sigh of relief.

Until Alya leaned forward between Nino and Adrien and whispered, “I bet Hawkmoth is behind this.”

Adrien was sufficiently distracted the remainder of class. It was safe to say that he’d colossally fucked up. He hadn’t been worried about destroying the building permanently since it was condemned anyway, but he should have considered that the sudden disintegration of a twenty thousand square foot warehouse would draw media attention. Of course the first suspect would be Chat Noir. He could practically feel Plagg gloating from where the kwami hid in his book bag and he was not looking forward the furball’s smug attitude.    

Really though, that was the least of his worries. Adrien’s more pressing concern at the moment was the heavy stare trained at the back of his head that was causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end.

Marinette wasn’t stupid, not by a long shot. He’d have been more surprised if she wasn’t onto him by this point. For the first time all morning, Adrien’s unsteady handwriting had nothing to do with fatigued muscles and everything to do with being in the hot seat with his partner. 

At the end of class, Nino looked up from packing away his things and grinned. “Alya and I are going to that bistro by the park. You guys wanna come with?”

“I promised to help icing cookies for a huge delivery,” Marinette replied airily, the lie slipping from her lips as easily as the truth, “and Adrien has that thing with Nathalie, remember.” 

Her pointed look was subtle and Adrien swallowed hard. “Uh… yeah, I got.. a thing so… gonna have to pass. Sorry man.”  He did not have a “thing” but at that moment he kind of wished he did.

“It’s all good. We’ll catch you two next time.” Nino being obliging was nothing out of the ordinary. 

Neither was Alya’s knowing smirk. “Aww. You’re both busy. What a coinkydink. You sure that thing you’re doing isn’t Mari?” 

Even his model training stood no chance against that kind of point blank crotch shot. “Classy, Alya. Real classy,” he grumbled, completely red faced.

Marinette merely rolled her eyes before sauntering out of class, the gentle sway her hips just begging to be admired. So Adrien did, blatantly, and ignored Alya’s snickering laughter as he tossed his book bag over his shoulder and chased after her.

He caught up with Marinette on the steps. “My place or yours?” he asked, not wanting to irritate the situation even more by playing coy.

“Since Gorilla is already here, yours.”

“Are you riding with me or…?” Why couldn’t he say it? They were about to get neck deep in all this identity bullshit and he was balking.

Marinette didn't appear any more ready for this conversation than Adrien did but Chat Noir easily recognized the no nonsense determination in Ladybug's stare as she stood a little straighter, her mouth set in a serious line. "I'll meet you there. No need to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves."

The car ride to the mansion was nerve wracking, to say the least. But no more so than entering his cavernous bedroom to find Ladybug perched on the end of his king size bed, legs crossed and posture stiff.

"I should have known you'd beat me here."

Marinette didn't give him warning, she simply said, "Spots off."

As the pink light traveled up her body from the tips of her toes to the top of her head, the free falling sensation that had coursed through Adrien's veins since the moment he'd realized that he loved Ladybug with all of his thirteen year old heart collided with the grounding warmth and rock solid sense of home that he'd only ever truly felt with Marinette.

The impact was messy and beautiful, his heart imploding with a quiet sigh. And even though he knew they were the same person, had seen it even through her mask, felt it in the way her inner beauty always shown through... witnessing the change, taking in all of her for the first time, this... them... her- _it was always her_ \- was suddenly real in a way that only seeing could make possible.

Sweetly, painfully real.

When he made no move to speak, unable to kick start his heart, Marinette watched him worriedly as Tikki settled in on her shoulder. "What happened last night? You told me you were going home."

"Nothing happened." The lie was out of his mouth before he could call it back or even consider if it would make things better or worse. "I was restless. Nothing to worry about," he deflected.

"You cataclysmed a building because you were restless?" Marinette's delicate brows flew up to her bangs. "Is that your final answer? Because you know that I know when you're lying to me."

Tossing his messenger bag beside the door, Adrien raked an unsteady hand through his hair. "Mari, it was nothing. Really."

He felt Plagg stir and then the black ball of fur was worming his way out from Adrien's collar and zipping across to his partner, landing in Marinette’s lap to look up at her with wide, imploring eyes. "It was not nothing. He was trying out a new ability. I told him to run it by you first because of the risks but Einstein here said no."

"What the hell, Plagg?" he hissed, the sting of betrayal cutting deep. "You were supposed to keep your mouth shut.”

"And you were supposed to use some common sense," replied Plagg, not missing a beat.

"That’s it. No camembert."

"Fuck the cheese, Adrien!" Everyone in the room flinched as Plagg's voice echoed with a deep, rumbling snarl. The little kwami floated back over to his chosen, his tiny body quivering with agitation. "Last night was close. Too close. Another second and you wouldn't have come back."

"But I did and I'm fine. See."

"You look like shit."

Well... there wasn't any arguing that one.

"Plagg?" Marinette’s voice was soft, hesitant even, "When you say close... did… did Adrien almost die?"

"No!"

"Yes!"

For a moment Marinette looked between Adrien and his kwami, a stricken expression twisting her lovely face. "I'm going to ask you again, Adrien. What happened? Don't you dare fucking lie to me."

Marinette never used _that_ tone with him.

Having been trained from an early age to admit defeat gracefully, Adrien took to pacing because he needed to move, to do something to ease the anxiety clawing up his throat. "Plagg told me about a secondary ability that I can use. It's a little risky-"

"That's an understatement." Plagg interrupted, flittering around in the air and ringing his paws. Ignoring Adrien's glower, he returned to Marinette, butting his head against her chin. "Bugsy, I only told him because he wouldn't let up. Talk some sense into him, please. I don't want to lose this knucklehead to some foolish martyr complex."

He hated gaslighting his partner but it was time for damage control. 

"Mari, he's being dramatic. Seriously, you’re both blowing this way out of proportion."

"Are we? Or are you lying to me again?"

The accusation in Marinette’s tone grated on his nerves, even if it was deserved. "I'm sorry, okay," he snapped defensively, "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry."

"Well good job. Now I'm going to worry even more about what you're not telling me," she replied, a thread of underlying fury in her scathing tone.

"Don't be angry, please." He pleaded weakly, his choking anxiety at her displeasure spiking frantically.

But Marinette wasn't going to back down. _Ladybug never backed down._ "I think I have a right to be. We're partners. I should have known what was going on before you took such a stupid risk."

Adrien couldn’t help it, the sudden spark of anger singed his bones. "Well, I mean... it’s my choice right? Even if I'd told you and you disagreed I still would've attempted it. These are my powers, it should be my call whether I use them or not," he insisted, grasping on to the stubborn resistance steeling his spine.

"So I shouldn't have a say at all about my partner trying to get himself killed?"

"Not when I'm doing my job as your partner!"

"That's not the point," Marinette bit out angrily, the force of her frustration palpable. "You think I want you to be my fall guy? You think I enjoy watching you take hits that are meant for me? Especially when you get injured?"

“That’s just how it is. Between the two of us, I'm the expendable one.”  

His partner had the nerve to seem horrified. “Is that really what you think?” she asked, her tone as incredulous as it was hurt. “My god Adrien, don’t be an idiot.”

How was it fair for Marinette to conveniently demean his actions when it suited her?  

For fucks sake, he was ready to sacrifice anything and everything for her and she was going to belittle him for his devotion? 

Well… 

It was kind of impossible not to find that insulting.  

Adrien’s temper ignited, his deep-seated fear of inadequacy going up like dry kindling in a bonfire. “So I’m an idiot because I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep you safe? Funny, you didn’t seem to care so much before you knew who I was under the mask,” he accused heatedly. 

Marinette flinched, her wounded eyes flying wide. “What?”

“You’ve never had a problem with Chat Noir doing what needed to be done before. Don’t start now. If I choose to take certain risks it’s because I believe the payoff is worth it. What I don’t need is someone else telling me what to do and being my fucking babysitter.”

A myriad of emotions crossed Marinette’s face but not a single one of them quieted the voice in the back of Adrien’s mind that taunted, _She doesn’t need you..._

“If that’s how you feel then I’m so sorry I care!” Marinette shouted, surging to her feet and storming toward his open widow as an upset looking Tikki followed closely behind. She wore her anger well but it was the tear tracks on her cheeks, fresh and sparkling in the afternoon sunlight, that slipped between his ribs and wrenched his chest apart. 

The voice snickered, _Soon she won’t want you..._

“Seriously? You’re going to leave?” he asked, panicked. 

“I’m leaving before I say something that I can’t take back. When you’re ready to be reasonable about this you know where to find me.” Without a backward glance Marinette called for her transformation and fled out of his window,

The regret tasted just as bitter as the angry words left unspoken on his tongue.   

 

* * *

 

When Adrien returned to school he went straight to the music room. At times when his thoughts and emotions were too much to untangle and running around as Chat wasn’t an option, hashing it out on the piano was always the next best thing. There was a ninety minute block where the room would be free and he took full advantage of it.

Adrien’s fingers flew over the keys, the somber chords echoing through the room in a disjointed beat that bled out his inner turmoil. There was no rhyme, no real melody, just an outpouring of sound that was harsh and crescendoing right along with the heartsick feeling twisting his stomach.

He’d made Marinette cry. 

Fuck if he didn't feel like the biggest asshole on the planet. But he'd panicked, and a panicked Adrien was a defensive Adrien.

In retrospect, he knew he should have handled the situation better.

Marinette was only concerned for his well being and he hadn’t meant to take his bullshit out on her, but it was too late to be sorry about it now and he wasn’t sure an apology would be welcome. Marinette deserved better than someone like him, carrying his weight in emotional baggage.

How could he put his fears into words?

Adrien was confident in Marinette's love for him. But when he thought about Ladybug's sudden interest in Chat... Well, Chat Noir was not nearly as confident about Ladybug.

It was hard to forget the years of rejection. All the nights he'd lain awake in his bed dwelling on the other boy his partner talked about and wondering what his rival possessed that he was lacking- Did it help or hurt to know that she'd been in love the carefully constructed version of Adrien? An image that wasn't really him...

I couldn't be worse than the knots he’d tied himself in when Ladybug stopped mentioning the other boy yet remained steadfast in her rigid professionalism, brushing off his dorky flirtations with sad eyes and stiff shoulders.

Ladybug had never loved Chat Noir. And that was fine. He wasn't sore about it and he certainly didn't hold it against her, but… why the sudden change of heart?

Was it because he was Adrien under the mask?

That didn't really make sense. In truth, he was as much Chat Noir as he was Adrien Agreste, two sides of the same coin with his truest self somewhere in the middle. He couldn't help but feel she was setting herself up for disappointment.

Not that he deserved her. Today only stood to prove that spectacularly.

And she was Ladybug. The Ladybug. Only the most gorgeous, clever, inspiring, larger-than-life person he'd ever met. Someone that amazing wouldn't want a schmuck like him fucking up her shit. She didn't want him to protect her either. So where did that leave him?

And that was the heart of the matter. What did Adrien have to offer Marinette besides a slew of complications? What could Chat offer Ladybug if she refused the one thing he could give?

Adrien didn't have any answers.

Sighing, he dragged his fingers across the piano's keys cutting off the flow of chaotic noise with a sharp, discordant sound. As silence reclaimed the room, Adrien forced himself to meet Plagg's passive stare.

“What do I do?”

Plagg shrugged. "You can say you're sorry any time, ya know."

Adrien smiled, tentative and sad, a fitting match to the random notes floating through the room. "You think she wants to see me?"

"I was talking about me,” Plagg deadpanned. When Adrien’s smile widened a fraction, the kwami rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure kid. Why don't you go right now."

"I can't, Plagg. I’m sure she went to class. Anyway, we should definitely talk in private." 

Plagg remained unimpressed. "Just talking? None of that gross human stuff you do, right?"

"I'll be lucky if she talks to me, much less anything else," Adrien muttered, his fragile smile crumbling to pieces around his feet. Without conscious directive, he placed both hands over the keys and began to play. Fingers moving by memory, a subdued tune began to fill the room. 

"You were a jerk." Plagg pointed out. 

"I know and I feel horrible about it." Blinking the sting out of his eyes, Adrien didn’t even care when he botched the next note. "That's exactly why I didn't want to tell her in the first place. I knew she'd worry."

"Partnerships go hand in hand with communication, kid. If you guys are done keeping secrets then this is probably a good place to start."

Finally some useful advice. 

Adrien could readily admit that communication was something that Chat Noir and Ladybug would have to work on. Keeping secret identities didn’t lend much to cultivating a team mentality. They both had the bad habit of taking the decision making upon themselves and not always factoring in their partner’s opinions. 

It was a problem, one they’d pushed aside in the past, but now everything was different. They could work to fix it and it could only make them closer, right?  

"I was so glad to finally know who Ladybug is that I didn't think about how much that would change the workings of our relationship," Adrien admitted, his thoughts whirling as he tried to think of other possible problems this could bring to light. Distracted, his hands fell limp against the keys, startling Plagg with the jarring sound. 

"There's a lot you don't think about, kid.” Plagg groused, his fur raised. “Like taking out a warehouse. How did it not occur to you to start small? Maybe a cardboard box or something? I mean I’m all for go big or go home ‘cause ain’t nobody got time to do things half-ass but come on. A building was bound to catch someone’s attention." Folding his little arms, the expression on Plagg’s face could only be described as pained. "For as smart as you are sometimes I wonder if you have any common sense."

"Obviously I don't." Adrien quipped, taking his kwami’s scolding in stride. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a chunk of cheese; a peace offering. "I'm sorry for not listening to you. I know I don’t tell you often but you always have my pack and that means the world to me."

Plagg, greedy bastard that he was, downed the cheese in three bites. "I know, but I still like hearing you say it.”  

 Adrien chuckled, watching curiously as his kwami flittered down to the ivory keys and began key hopping, the beginning notes of a very familiar tune surrounding them.

Adrien arched a blond brow. "Für Elise?" 

Plagg grinned. "Can you keep up?"

Feeling a little lighter of heart, Adrien grinned back, “I’ve never played this one handed so let’s find out.” 

On the count of three, they began to play. 

 

* * *

 

 

Under the cover of moonlight, with jittery nerves and a pounding heart, Chat Noir landed on Marinette’s dark terrace with a fair amount of trepidation. He wasn’t exactly sure he would be welcome and there was a fair chance she’d tell him to leave. Just the thought left him queasy and shaken. 

He moved to knock on her skylight, not brave enough to try and open it in case she’d revoked his invitation, only to find Marinette looking up at him from where she was curled up on her bed, propped against her kitty pillow with her sketchpad and pencil. She probably couldn’t see anything more than his bright green cat-eyes given the late hour.

Chat froze, hand outstretched and ears pressed flat against his pale hair. Her eyes were red rimmed but she was wearing his Jagged Stone t-shirt and that had to mean something right?

_Suck it up! You owe her an apology._

Swallowing hard against the bruised heart trying to crawl its way out of his throat, Chat tested the skylight and it opened easily. The breath he didn’t even realize he’d been holding slipped out in a relieved sigh. The tense set of his shoulders loosened ever so slightly. 

Landing on Marinette’s bed with a slight bounce, he floundered for what to say, the carefully thought out speech he’d practiced in his bathroom mirror disappearing right along with any illusion of dignity he thought he might possess. The silence was heavy and the sound of the skylight clicking shut rang out like the crack of a gunshot. They both flinched. 

Nervous, Chat looked down at where he clasped the end of his tail tightly in his hands and decided to just say what he felt, not what he thought she wanted to hear. “I'm sorry. I behaved like an asshole earlier and you didn't deserve that from me.”

“It’s not okay but I get it.” Marinette sighed, setting her sketchbook aside and shifting closer until their knees touched. “I don't want you to feel like I'm trying to control you, but if you want me to trust you to make these kind of choices then you need to trust me too.”  

“It’s not about trust. You're the one person I trust more than anyone else,” he admitted honestly. Carefully Marinette tugged his abused tail from his fidgety grip and laced her fingers with his, holding tightly. Squeezing back, he dropped his transformation with a faintly whispered “claws out” and was so very thankful when Plagg zipped off to find Tikki without offering any unwanted commentary.    

Marinette’s delicate brows scrunched into a frown. “Then what is it?”

“It’s me being stupid,” Adrien muttered. “You were right. I’ll try not to be so impulsive in the future.”

“You're sensitive, not stupid,” Marinette corrected with a small, smile. “We don't have to hide things from each other anymore so explain it to me. Please?”

“You don't need me,” he admitted, hating the way her smile vanished only to be replaced by hurt so raw it left his chest hollow. Not wanting to release her hands, he ducked forward and pressed a quick, hard kiss to her lips. “Let me explain okay?” When she nodded, he rested his head to hers. “In the suit or out of it, you're the most amazing girl I know and that’s a hands down fact. You accomplish anything you set your mind to. You always inspire me. Even fighting akuma, you kick ass and you make it look so damn easy.” He laughed but the sound was self deprecating. “Protecting you is the only thing I'm good for. If you won’t let me do that then as your partner I'm useless.”

Every splash of salt that hit his fingers was like a searing brand to his skin. 

“What did I do to make you feel that way?” she whispered brokenly.

“It's nothing you did. It’s our dynamic. I'm not telling you this to make you feel bad. You wanted to know why. That’s why. It’s how our abilities work, you fix the damage and I take the hits. But you have to let me. I can’t keep you safe if you won’t let me.”

“No. I refuse to accept that bullshit. You are not useless. Don’t ever let me hear you say that again,” she demanded, the steel in her gentle voice mirrored by the blue fire lighting her watery eyes. “Ladybug can't do this without Chat Noir. She would never have come this far if he hadn't been there with her every step of the way. The only reason Ladybug is able to be courageous and confident is because Chat Noir believed in her first, before she dared to believe in herself.”

But that was different. Chat hadn’t done anything special, just told his partner the truth. The rest had been all her and her sassy awesomeness. “Ladybug told Hawkmoth off second day on the job and Chat was a goner just like that.” Adrien grinned ruefully. “That was all you.” 

“Ladybug almost gave up her miraculous before that fight. I never told you that  before. I guess I should have so you’d know how important Chat is to me. There are so many expectations placed on Ladybug that… sometimes... I don’t know how to explain it... it’s like… like I can’t be _me_ when I’m wearing the spots. I have to be Ladybug and she can't afford the luxury of letting anyone close, at least not the way Marinette can.” Reluctantly, Marinette freed one hand to scrub at her eyes. “Does that make sense?”

“Yeah.” And it did. Adrien probably understood that better than she thought. Only it was the opposite for him. “It’s kind of like how I have to keep up this impossibly perfect image when I’m out of the suit but as Chat Noir I don’t have to hold back at all. And I usually have to be one or the other. I rarely get to just be myself.”

Marinette worried her lip with her teeth, her eyes going distant for a moment as she tried to put her thoughts into words. Finally, she asked, “You know I love all of you, right?” 

There was an earnestness to Marinette’s question that compelled Adrien to respond in kind. “You sure? There’s a lot of me, issues and all.”

Marinette didn’t hesitate. “I’m sure. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”

Lifting the hand still clasped in his own, he pressed his lips to her skin. “I keep expecting to fuck this up, you know? I’m just waiting for you to realize that you could do so much better than me.”   

“Not going to happen, Kitty.”

Still, Adrien needed to say it. He had to know what his girl was thinking. Unable to meet her eyes, he said, “But you never wanted Chat Noir before…”

“Remember when you read my diary?”

“Yeah…” Adrien winced. “I'm so sorry about that.” Not that he had any clue how that pertained to Ladybug and Chat Noir- other than outing his identity bigger than shit- but there was certain to be a point Marinette was trying to make.

“I forgive you,” she laughed softly, “but you may as well know, I have three diaries. One I dedicated to Adrien, one for venting about Ladybug, and one for Chat Noir.”

“Oh.” _Oh..._ Adrien’s eyes jerked up to meet Marinette’s, wide and slightly unfocused. “Wait…? I don’t understand. You… you never...”

“Just because I loved both sides of you differently doesn't mean that I don't love Chat Noir at all. I mean, I _am_ attracted to him.” The blush that spread over Marinette’s cheeks darkened the tear splotches against her pale face. “Chat is my other half, of course I wondered if maybe one day when Hawkmoth was finally gone that things might be able to grow between us.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” he asked, bemused. 

Marinette shrugged helplessly. “Those were thoughts I had to keep to myself because Ladybug can not be vulnerable. She can't afford to wear her heart on her sleeve for all the world to see. But you, silly kitty, couldn't have been more flamboyant if you tried.” At that, Marinette eyed him warily, her lips curling in a wry smirk. “Okay. I take that back. Please don't actually try.”

“But Mari...” he whined playfully. 

She laughed, but then her smile slipped a notch. “Seriously though, I hated to keep turning you down. And it was so much harder once I gave up on anything ever happening with Adrien. But what choice did I have? We couldn't date in the public spotlight as heroes and we weren't allowed to know each other’s identities... so I made the choice not to encourage you. When you stopped flirting I thought I was going to lose you.”

Adrien sighed, “I thought that's what you wanted.”

"I never wanted that," Marinette corrected. "In fact, I was really jealous when you’d told me about the girl you liked."

“You hid it well. I thought you were happy for me.”

“I wanted you to be happy. I always have.”

"And to think I was asking you for advice about you the entire time." Adrien couldn't help but shake his head, trying to remember everything he'd told Ladybug about his "girlfriend". He was  fairly certain he'd conveyed the depths of his feelings to his partner but he hadn't put it in plain terms to Marinette yet, had he?

It was definitely time to fix that. They were done with keeping secrets and the consequential misconceptions that would inevitably follow. She needed to understand she wasn't in this deep alone.

“I love all of you, Maribug.” As he expected, Marinette pulled a face at his choice of nickname and Adrien laughed. “Hey, I could call you Kleptobug. You admitted to stealing my phone. You’re wearing my stolen shirt right now. And you’ve gone and stolen my heart.” She blushed prettily as he leaned in to whisper, “The last one I really hope you keep. It’s always belonged to you.”  

Eyes bright and untroubled, Marinette teased, “Since when is calling your girlfriend a thief supposed to be romantic?”

“You’re right. I should try harder,” Adrien amended with a grin, his lingering unease melting away under the warmth of Marinette’s acceptance. “When I think of home, I think of your eyes and your smile. You’re my purpose. You’re the reason my heart beats. Some days knowing that I’ll see you is the only thing that makes getting out of bed worth it. My first thoughts when I wake are of you and you’re my last thought before I fall asleep. And all the moments in between have no meaning when I’m not with you. And I would happily shout it from the top the Eiffel Tower-”

The sudden crush of Marinette’s lips against his brought Adrien’s confession to an abrupt halt, but she was smiling and giggling breathlessly into the kiss, so yeah… 

Nailed it.

“Mercy,” she pleaded, her punch drunk expression turning his insides into putty. “You can’t say all those sweet things and then look at me like that-” She dropped another peck to his lips. “My poor heart can’t take it.”

“You sure? ‘Cause I can do this all night.”

“I’m going to keel over if you don’t stop,” Marinette rolled her eyes fondly. Casting a glance up to her skylight, her expression turned hopeful. “Will you stay?” 

“As long as you want me to,” he promised.

Marinette didn’t respond, instead she slipped under her bubblegum pink covers and held out her arms. 

Adrien didn’t need any more invitation than that. Shucking off his sneakers and jeans, he joined her, breathing easily for the first time in hours. 

Marinette was his whole world. With her safe and in his arms, there was no where else he’d ever want to be.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg, I tried to reign in the sap but Adrien was not having it.  
> It might sound crazy but this chapter totally wrote itself. It ended where I needed it to but the finished product was nothing like the original draft I started with. Each scene sort of took on a life of its own. I love it when that happens.  
> I changed the story summary to something that fits better with the overall feel of the story now. Next chapter will have a bit of sexy times (maybe a lot). The nature of Unlucky Streak will be explained more in depth in the future also.  
> So the identity hurdle is officially down and good riddance. But that’s not the end of the drama, oh no no no. I could be a nice author and have things go smoothly from here on out… but where’s the fun in that.  
> And kudos to everyone that suspected Marinette had a diary for Chat as well as Adrien. Maybe if Adrien’s a good kitty she’ll let him read it… ;)


	9. Fingertips and Memories

 

Waking up curled around Marinette was something of an addictive experience.

From where Adrien's head rested against the pillowy softness of her breasts, her heartbeat thrummed in his ear. The rhythmic _thud-dum thud-dum_ was a mantra, pulling him from the embrace of his dreams, the wispy remnants of half formed thoughts and hazy images fading before he could fully grasp their meaning.

His hold tightened unconsciously, vanilla and sugar stealing his senses as his pillow shifted... away? Mumbling, he pulled her body closer, and closer still- it wasn't enough, he thought sleepily, but the soft, throaty giggle that echoed in his ear relaxed him at once.

Fingers carding through his hair, Marinette spoke quietly, "You were purring in your sleep, Kitty."

"Oh." Adrien blinked groggily, pressing his face further into his girlfriend's chest to escape the bright morning light pouring in through the skylight above. "Sorry."

"S'okay. It was cute." The yawn that slurred Marinette's words was drawn out when she lifted her arms above her head and arched her back to stretch.

Adrien really didn't want to wake yet but the longer the sun assaulted him the more sleep evaded his grasp. Suddenly he stiffened, the last vestiges of slumber fleeing to make room for a nasty adrenaline jolt. "What time is it?"

"Almost seven. You don't have to leave, do you?"

He went boneless against her pliant form, relieved. "I don't have to be at the conservatory until ten. I can stay for a bit longer."

"Better not stand me up for our date later," she warned jokingly but something told him it wasn't entirely a joke. They both knew bailing on plans with his friends was an all to real possibility considering Gabriel's penchant for up and rearranging Adrien's schedule to better suit himself.

"Father is leaving for London this evening. My afternoon is scheduled for homework so he won't even notice when I sneak out later. The best part is he'll be away all week."

"I like the sound of that," Marinette sighed, her nimble fingers returning to tangle in his blond mess of hair. "You know what else I like the sound of?"

Adrien could hear the smile in her voice as she began to scratch her nails against his scalp gently. The urge to purr was strong and for once he didn't hold it back.

"That right there," she laughed happily.

The gentle rumble filled the peaceful quiet sending vibrations through his chest and Adrien wondered if she could feel them. Nuzzling his face into the soft cotton of her stolen shirt, he hitched a leg over hers trapping her completely. Only too late he realized the new position pressed his morning stiffy directly into her thigh.

"Oh really?" Her nails scratched a little harder eliciting a shiver that traveled along his spine.

Of course she felt it. Her question was entirely too smug. "You do have that effect on me," he reasoned, "like ninety percent of the time."

"Oh." She almost seemed surprised. "Really? I get to you that much?"

He bumped his junk against her leg. "What do you think?"

"I bet it's because your girlfriend's a super hero. Who wouldn't find that hot?" she teased.

Only it didn't sit well with him.

Adrien lifted his head, resting his chin on her sternum and sighed. "There a lot more to it than that."

"I know," Marinette grinned. Still, there was an air of vulnerability about her as she admitted, "But this still feels surreal. You've loved Ladybug for so long that sometimes it seems like a lot to live up to."

It stung to realize that her unspoken fear was to somehow let him down by not being enough. But he understood, hell if he didn't feel that way too, because this mattered. There was so much in their lives that they could make do without but not when it came to each other. And maybe that was what made this new level of intimacy so scary, but that was only because it meant everything.

He didn't want to brush off her concerns as if they weren't valid. That wouldn't help her understand what he wanted to explain. Instead he tried the best he could. "I always knew there was an amazing girl under those spots. And I hoped like hell I'd get to know her one day, but I also accepted it might not happen. So when I thought about my future, I wanted LB to be a part of it but I couldn't count on it. The funny thing is, I never once imagined a future where you weren't there. Me with modeling and you wanting to pursue design, I always assumed you'd be the one constant in my life. I wanted you to be. So its like you said, I loved both of you, just differently."

Marinette's cheeks pinkened, her eyes shining with adoration. "I must have imagined you confessing your love to me a million different ways but I don't think I'm ever going to get used to hearing you say it."

"Then I guess I'll just have to keep telling you I love you and hopefully after a million times you'll know how much I mean it," Adrien smirked.

Fisting her hand in his collar, Marinette tugged gently. "Come here. I want a kiss." 

Adrien was eager to oblige, shifting to settle against her more comfortably as she wrapped her legs around his hips. Bracing his weight on his forearms, he chuckled, "Just one?"

"Well, that depends. If it's a good kiss then I may want another," she replied cheekily.

He was going to offer a witty comeback, keep teasing her until she literally shut him up with her mouth, but he must have become terribly predictable because Marinette didn't give him the chance. She simply pulled him down by his hair and attacked his lips.

Days of pent up frustration came surging to the surface as her hot little tongue slipped along his, staking a claim. It was all kinds of awesome that he didn't have to push it away and try and think past the building desire. They were safe in her bed, not stealing kisses on a rooftop, or exchanging naughty texts on his break or making out on the sofa where her parents could walk in at any second. They didn't have to rush this. Even better, they didn't have to stop.

A soft gasp escaped Adrien's lips as Marinette caught his bottom lip with her teeth, nipping just hard enough to leave delicious a sting as she pulled away to draw a panting breath. "I love you," she said, her voice candy sweet and a bit at odds with her debauched grin, "so, so much."

Fuck if she didn't have him by the balls. Seriously. Did she have any idea what that combination could do to him?

As her hands moved under his shirt, her nails scraping gently along his back, he couldn't help grinding into her, his breath stuttering as his purring kicked into high gear. She giggled, tilting her head to kiss him again.

It took effort to swallow back the purr, his attempts to focus thwarted by the light suction and the tug of her teeth on his tongue. And he couldn't get enough, be close enough, rub against her sweet spot enough... not with layers of cotton between them and his fevered skin ready to go up in flames.

Growling in frustration, Adrien pulled away ripping off his shirt and flinging it over the railing, not caring where it went so long as it wasn't another barrier between them.

Setting his hands on her hips, he toyed with hem of her shirt. "On or off?"

Marinette didn't answer with words. She sat up, pushing him over onto his back and he hit the mattress with a choked hiss as she straddled his hips, her weight a decadent tease against his straining erection. With an expression that could only be described as impish, she removed her shirt baring her beautiful body to his hungry eyes.

Everything about Marinette was lovely, from the faint dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose all the way down to where her flat stomach broke out in chill bumps from the sudden cool air caressing her skin. Adrien’s fingers flexed restlessly, eager to touch yet hesitant to overstep- stupid because he knew she wanted this as much as he did and still he was afraid he’d somehow screw this up...

"Touch me," Marinette pleaded, her eyes never leaving his, guileless blue locked with smoldering green. Then she was leaning down to kiss him, her mouth moving against his with demanding clumsiness.

It was slightly awkward but Marinette was all that mattered, the dizzying effect of her kisses nearly as intoxicating as the smooth feel of her skin everywhere they touched. She was so soft and pliable compared to the hard lines of his defined muscles and greedily he ran his hands up her sides and down her back, pausing to squeeze her luscious bottom. But his favorite, by far, was the needy moan that ripped from her throat as she broke the kiss and it had him pressing down on her ass as he bucked his hips upward, his eyes practically rolling back in his head it felt so good. 

“Fuck,” he groaned as Marinette sat up, taking his hands and placed them on her breasts as she leaned into his touch for leverage. He rubbed his thumbs over her nipples and his girlfriend whimpered, rolling her hips in a way that dragged her damp panties against the thin cotton of his boxers and did mind melting things the sensitive underside of his cock. 

The material between them was flimsy at best and he could feel the heat of her searing him with every grind. It wasn’t hard to remember the way she’d been wet and slick on fingers the last time and, at that moment, what he wanted more than anything was to rip off her offending underwear and bury himself balls deep in her soaked pussy. He could imagine how she’d feel, hot and tight like a molten vice clenching around his dick-

“Kitty… please,” her broken plea snapped his eyes open and he couldn’t look away. She was a fucking goddess, flushed and disheveled, feverish eyes and wild hair, kiss swollen lips and she may as well have been holding his still beating heart in her hands because his best fantasies could never, _NEVER_ compare to being with her like this… “I’m so close… please.” 

There was no way Adrien was going to hold out much longer and he needed to see her fall apart and lose herself in the throes of her pleasure more than he needed to draw his next breath. He was tempted to tell her to touch herself just to see if she dared and it would be hot as fuck to watch, but he really wanted to touch her too and have her scent marking his skin again. Slowly, as not to be too rough, he slipped his fingers in through the side of her panties and delved them into her folds, rubbing gently until he hit the spot that made her clutch his wrist and gasp.

Marinette rocked into him harder and faster, any rhythm she’d had devolving into short, jerky movements and Adrien damn near stopped breathing, the toe curling tension building in his abdomen teetering on the edge of bliss. Then Marinette’s thighs clamped tight against his hips as she cried out and Adrien’s orgasm hit with the force of a tsunami, dragging him under even as she gasped and shuddered above him, unraveling at his fingertips.

It was only a matter of seconds before she slumped forward, gracelessly draping herself over his chest, the thundering of her heart equally as furious as his own. Wrapping her up in his arms, he held onto her tightly, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I love you.” 

He felt Marinette smile. "Love you more."

While his body was coming down from one high his heart was riding another and he didn't think he'd been this- happy? This warm, fluttery feeling that had him wired and ready to take on the world... Was this what it felt like to be genuinely happy? Because if so, he hadn't felt like this in a very long time, if ever. Unable to contain it, he laughed, "Not possible."

"Is too possible," she groused playfully, dropping a kiss to his cooling skin.

"Nope. Pretty sure I love you most."

"More."

"Mostest."

"Is that even a word?" Marinette asked with a laugh, the sound trickling through his veins like honey. When he just shrugged a shoulder, she sighed, "We're going to be one of those couples, aren't we?"

"Damn straight we are," he grinned. Against him Marinette shivered so he rolled them onto their sides and pulled the sheet up over her, leaning in to kiss her sweetly.

Neither expected the trap door to Marinette's bedroom to fly open. "Mari, wake up-" There was a startled gasp followed by a loud slam when the door slipped from Alya's slack grip as she froze, eyes wide as saucers behind her glasses as she gawked up at her friends stupidly.

Adrien was already launching himself over the railing, hitting the floor with a cringe-worthy thump just as Alya found her voice. "Holy shit! Ad-"

He clamped a hand over her mouth, hissing, "Ssshhh! Tom and Sabine don't know I'm here!"

From down below Sabine called out, "Is everything ok up there?"

Yanking her discarded shirt over her head, Marinette half tumbled own the ladder, face as red as  a beet. She lifted the trap door just enough to call back, "It’s fine Maman. Alya scared me and I fell. I'm okay."

Sabine sounded concerned as she replied, "Alright dear. Breakfast is ready."

Marinette sounded slightly hysterical. "Okay I'll be down in a minute." Closing the door, she sank down to the floor, her face hidden behind her hands as she whined pitifully.

"Um..." Alya's butterscotch eyes did a quick glance down, her caramel complexion taking on a rouged tinge that spread across her face. "You might wanna put some clothes on because that should be illegal," she sassed, gesturing to Adrien's unusual show of skin.

Adrien didn't have to glance at himself to know that he was a sight. Getting busted in Marinette’s bed wearing nothing but boxers and socks, this was a compromising situation if there ever was one. While his buddy was down for the count- thank god- the big 'ole wet spot on his boxers was just as telling and it didn't take a genius to figure out what they'd been up to.

Ahh fucking hell!

Sore that Alya managed to get him to blush like the virgin he was, Adrien glowered. "Hornball!"

Alya rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "At least I'm fully clothed, thank you very much."

Getting a grip, Marinette surged to her feet. "You. Clothes. Now." The command was followed by a poke to Adrien's tone chest. "You. Downstairs. Now." That command was accompanied by Marinette literally taking Alya by the shoulders and facing her friend toward the trap door.

Alya grin was as cunning as a fox. "I'll run interference but, girl, you owe me the deets."

Marinette’s answering nod was brisk and all Ladybug. "Deal. Go."

The minute Alya disappeared through the door, Marinette burrowed he face against his chest. "Oh my god. That was horrible."

Popping his head up form the nest of fabric scraps where Tikki slept, Plagg flashed his fangs gleefully. "I disagree. That was hilarious."

"Shut it, Plagg." Dropping a kiss to the top of her head, Adrien reluctantly stepped away and went about finding his clothes "I should get going though." He pulled on his shirt but then paused, rubbing the back of his neck at the realization that he couldn't leave as Chat Noir with Alya waiting expectantly downstairs. "Um... How am I getting out of here?"

"Sneak out the front?" Wringing her hands, Marinette looked close to tears. "I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it'll be alright." Securing the button and zipping up his jeans, Adrien padded back over to his girlfriend and taking her face in his hands he kissed her nose. "Al and Nino were on to us anyway and they'll make sure it doesn't get back to my father."

"I know. It’s just… Alya has a habit of barging in sometimes." She smiled wryly. "I'll make sure to lock my door tonight."

And the thought of having Marinette all to himself sent butterflies tingling in Adrien's stomach. It was going to be torture having to keep his hands to himself in front of their friends today but he intended to make up for that tonight. Kissing her thoroughly, he said, "I'll see you later."

Marinette looked down and laughed. "Aren't you forgetting something, Kitty?"

Adrien followed her gaze to his sock clad feet and grinned sheepishly. "Shoes might be helpful."

Once his sneakers were in hand and his Kwami in his pocket, Adrien waited until Marinette motioned for him to follow. He kept close behind her, holding his breath as they descended the steps into the main area. Alya, true to her word, held Sabine's  complete attention as she hung on the older woman's every word where they stood by the kitchen counter huddled over a recipe book with their backs to the front door.

Marinette made a shooing motion with her hands and Adrien didn't have to be told twice. Giving Marinette a two finger salute, he slipped out the door silent as a cat on the prowl.

 

* * *

 

"Kid?"

Standing knee deep in a pile comprised of what was at one point in the not so distant past the organised contents if his wardrobe, Adrien glanced up clearly frazzled. "Yeah?"

"Why does your closet look like Pompeii after I lost that bet with Trixx?" Asked Plagg, his head cocked to the side curiously.

It took almost a full minute for Adrien to process the question. The implications left him slightly horrified. "Do I want to know?"

Plagg didn't even blink. "Nope."

Finally taking in the chaos he'd created, Adrien's posture slumped pathetically. "I can't find anything to wear," he whined.

With a look that clearly said _Are you for fucking real?_ , Plagg peered down at the mess and then back up at Adrien. "Try clothes. Those are always a good option."

Flushing at the absurdity of his statement, Adrien snapped, "You know what I mean."

"Do I? 'Cause it seems to me like you have plenty to wear once you pick it up off the floor." Plagg surmised with a shit-eating grin.

"Could you just not. Please." Adrien cast a frantic glance around his closet, running his hands through his hair anxiously. "I just... I want to dress nice but I don't want to come across like I'm trying too hard since this a casual thing but I also don't want to wear the same stuff I wear to school and have her think I don't care.... I mean, this is the closest I've ever been to going on a real date, unless you count that one time with Kagami and... Marinette was there... Oh dear god, Plagg! Marinette was my wingman on a date with someone else-" Adrien's rambling came to an abrupt end with a deflating wheeze.

"Crap!" Getting in Adrien's face, Plagg patted his nose, "Kid, breathe." When Adrien complied, sucking in a breath and waiting for a moment before releasing, Plagg grumbled,  "Sometimes I think Tikki got the easy one... Okay! Here's what you're going to do." The kwami zipped into the explosion of clothing and returned with a plain black polo shirt and simple pair of blue jeans. "Put these on and don't give me that look."

"But this shirt is tight on me."

"You can thank me later."

Conceding that Plagg might be onto something, Adrien dressed quickly and then looked himself over critically. Turning this way and that, he even flexed his arms for good measure. Okay, so the shirt was snug in all the right places... maybe Marinette would enjoy the view? He really hoped so.

Plopping down on Adrien's shoulder, Plagg let out an over dramatized yawn and then grinned. "There. Thanks to me you look like a normal human about to go do normal human things."

Adrien rolled his eyes."You always manage to put things in perspective for me."

"Sarcasm is not attractive, kid."

Meeting his kwami's gloating reflection, Adrien laughed. "Pots and kettles, Plagg."

Not having heard the knock on his door, Adrien stiffened when Plagg suddenly dove from his shoulder to burrow into the mess of clothes.

"Adrien?" The clack of Nathalie's heels echoed, warning of her approach a second before she rounded the corner. "Adrien your father- oh!" She stilled, her normally stoic professionalism slipping as she took in the scene.

"Closet malfunction," Adrien smiled winningly, as if that explained everything.

"Well, yes, I can see that." Nathalie blinked, her cool demeanor returning with visible effort. After a long considering look around, she sighed, obviously deciding that this situation was beyond her pay grade, and handed Adrien the printout she held. "Here is your itinerary for the week. I will contact you if there are any changes."

A hard copy of his color-coded schedule meant only one thing. "You are going with Father, I take it?" Adrien asked, not exactly sure why that annoyed him, even though it did.

"Yes. We will be leaving for the airport imminently. Do you have any questions before we depart?"

So brisk. So detached. Like a goddamn robot.

Adrien glanced over the schedule, relieved to see nothing surprising there. "No. This is all very clear. Thank you, Nathalie." His father's assistant was halfway to the door when he called out, "Have a safe trip."

She paused briefly, almost startled. "Thank you. Good day, Adrien." The sentiment couldn't have been more awkward and forced.

He supposed Nathalie wasn't paid to be polite.

Once the coast was clear, Plagg returned to Adrien's shoulder, frowning at his chosen's disheartened expression. "I thought you'd be happy to see them go. More time with your girlfriend, right?"

"Yeah." And that was awesome but...

"Kid, what is it?"

"Is it horrible that a part of me wishes they would just go away and not come back?" Adrien asked in a small voice. "I'm alone all the time anyway so what would be the fucking difference."

"You got me." It lured a genuine smile out of Adrien when Plagg rubbed against his chin. "And you got Bugsy. And your friends. You have what matters."

Brushing off his funk, Adrien gave Plagg a scratch between his tiny ears. "You're right. I've got what matters and a hot date with beautiful girl. Life is good."

"Glad we're on the same page. Now let’s get to it."

Heeding the call of freedom, Adrien forgot all about the mess he'd created and moved to the window. Down below the town car was just exiting the main gate and as he watched the gates close he felt the haunting feeling of suffocation wrap its ghostly fingers around his throat.

Before Plagg and Chat Noir, Adrien would have watched his father leave only to spent hours at his window trying to catch a glimpse of life beyond the gates that kept him confined like a prison.

"Claws out!" 

When the green light faded, Chat Noir smiled, feral and sharp.

Those gates couldn't hold him back anymore.

_Life is good._

 

* * *

 

Marinette and Alya were waiting for him outside of the bakery. 

Pretty as a picture in a pale green sundress with a halter top that tied at the back of her neck, Marinette’s hair was pulled up into a messy bun, a few wispy locks escaping to brush against her bare shoulders. Under the afternoon sun her peaches and cream skin seemed to glow and Adrien took a moment to admire her perfectly sculpted legs, enhanced by the dainty wedge sandals strapped to her feet.

Marinette didn't notice his approach, her attention trained on Alya and whatever it was their friend was telling her, the accompanying hand gestures proving it to be an engrossing conversation.

Alya caught sight of him first, a devious grin twisting her lips. She nudged Marinette with her elbow and jerked her head in his direction. "Here comes lover boy," she teased in a sing-song voice.

Marinette's bottomless blues snapped to him in an instant, bright and shining. Then they widened, slowly raking down his body before traveling back up again. When their eyes met Adrien smirked, lopsidedly smug as his girlfriend went pink.

Two minutes in and he wanted to kiss her already, just press her against the wall and bury his hands in her hair, all so he could tilt her head to the perfect angle-

Adrien pushed the want down, taking a deep breath to clear his head. He knew damn well how that particular fantasy of Marinette's ended and the last thing he needed was another reason for a raging boner.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, just to be safe, Adrien greeted, "Good afternoon ladies. Where's Nino?"

"At the park already. Something to do with helping Luka and Ivan set up the sound system." Alya replied. Glancing down at her watch, she said, "We should head on over. Show time in ten."

Adrien fell into step beside Marinette and caught her looking at him through the corner of her eye, her blush still going strong. For as close as she was, it wasn’t close enough and he wished that he could hold her hand and do the whole boyfriend thing the right way. He wanted to spoil her with attention and lavish her with affection but just the thought of his father's reaction to learning that Adrien had a girlfriend was enough to discourage him from taking any kind of risk. It would be just his luck that the paparazzi would pick today of all days to take unsolicited photos and that was one headline he would prefer to avoid.

So Adrien plastered on his usual unaffected smile and kept a respectable distance between himself and the love of his life even though it went against every thought in his head and everything he felt his heart.

It was much easier to keep up pretenses once they met up with their extended group of friends. The previous band had just finished their set and there was a definite hum of excitement when Kitty Section began setting up on the stage. Taking advantage of the lull between acts, Alix introduced the friends she’d brought in a whirlwind of names and faces and Adrien was a bit apprehensive when his name garnered recognition but no one made a fuss, asked for an autograph or tried to flirt so it went rather smoothly as far he was concerned.

There were other faces in the group that Adrien recognized; some were fellow students from lycée Perault which were mostly Kim's teammates, and a few he recognized as Luka's friends. All in all, it was a decent size turnout. But the best part by far was that no one was paying Adrien any attention. For once he was able to relish the novelty of being just another teenager in the crowd.

By the time Nino joined them, Adrien was relaxed and his enthusiasm genuine. Then Kitty Section started to play and the music was so infectious that it was hard to stay still. There was a lot of swaying, bouncing, and raucous laughter as Luka's friends tried to start a mosh pit. Somehow the dancing turned into a competition between Alix and Kim to see who could moonwalk the best with Max as referee.

It was fun, exhilarating even, and this wasn't even close to the big stadium concerts Adrien had heard other kids his age bragging about but that was fine, he was hanging out with old friends and normal experiences like this were few and far between so he treasured them dearly.

It was staggering, how quickly Adrien’s elation turned into a pure adrenaline high when Marinette grasped his hands and began to dance. With him. And it was perfectly awkward, none of their battle synchronization to be found, and somehow that made it better. Their clumsy movements had him laughing, head thrown back and completely carefree. He was as breathless from the proximity of Marinette’s body as he was from snickering every time she stepped on his foot, or managed to knock his knee with her own. And when she teetered into him, almost taking him down with her, Adrien had to clutch his side because he never knew you could laugh so much it would actually hurt. 

Even after Kitty Section finished playing and the crowd dispersed to the open area of the park, the upbeat energy didn't diminish. So it caught Adrien off guard when he noticed Chloé , alone and perched on the ledge of the fountain, watching everyone with a sour expression.

Wandering over, Adrien sat down beside his friend, flashing her a tentative grin. "Hey Clo."

The blond gave him an imperious glare. "Oh. Are you talking to me?"

"I don't know. Are you going to be a brat about it?" Adrien shot back, matching her sarcasm with his own.

"Whatever," Chloé sniffed. "You owe me lunch and a shopping trip. I never see you anymore."

A pang of guilt settled like a stone in Adrien's stomach. He hadn't made time for Chloé lately. It was easy to take for granted that she had Sabrina and now with Kagami moving to New York... well, as a friend he probably should try harder.

"When I get back from Spain we'll hangout. I promise."

"We better," Chloé pouted, "All my friends have abandoned me."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "Drama queen."

"Well it’s true," Chloé replied frostily, peering down at her nails as if she were bored. "Sabrina has a boyfriend now so she's always busy or he's tagging along and all that lovey dovey shit makes me sick."

Sabrina and said boyfriend, a guy nerdy enough to give Max a run for his money, were a few yards away holding hands and talking quietly to each other. As Adrien watched, Sabrina leaned into her boy's arm and smiling coyly, not at all bothered by anyone who might be observing.

It was sweet... which made Adrien's envy at their open affection all the more bitter.

Pointing a perfectly manicured finger at Adrien’s face,Chloé complained, "And don't think I haven't noticed the way you've been staring at Marinette all afternoon."

"Don't Chloé," he warned.

"I'm not saying anything. You do you. Or her..." Chloé folded her arms in a huff and wrinkled her nose, "If middle class, hot mess is your type then I support you. No matter how desperate I think you are."

Which was Chloé's way of saying she had his back, despite how bitchy that came across… ugh! "Why do I put up with you again?"

It was Chloé's turn to roll her eyes. "Because I'm like the sister you never had and never wanted but you're stuck with me anyway."

Adrien laughed. "That's pretty accurate actually."

"Have you heard from Kagami?" Chloé asked abruptly, her tone nonchalant but her posture too stiff the be casual.

Ahhh... so that's why Chloé was in such a crappy mood today. "Not since she moved," Adrien admitted. "You?"

"Not since her whorebag of a mother took away her phone and internet," Chloé snapped.

 _How did I not hear about this?_ "Why is Kagami grounded?"

"Her mother found out."

It seemed he needed Chloé to elaborate. "Found out what?"

“Christ, Adrien! Are you that obtuse?” When he didn't answer, Chloé let out a pained sighed. “We were dating.”  

“Since when?” Adrien asked, stunned.

“For the last seven months, Duh.”

“Wow... I had no idea.”  

“Of course not. I didn’t spell it out for you in blinking neon letters.”

Adrien winced, feeling he deserved her snark. Obviously he was out of the loop far more than he originally thought. “I bet her mother threw a  fit.” 

"Understatement. That's why they up and dragged her away to New York." Scowling at the ground, Chloé shook her head. "I knew they'd pull this shit. I knew they wouldn't understand. She was hoping they would but we see how well that turned out."

No wonder it was hard for Chloé to be around Sabrina right now. "I'm so sorry Clo. I figured she was busy settling in and catching up with her training. I didn't realize..."

"That they freaked the fuck out the minute they figured out their daughter was bisexual? And instead of being supportive the only thing they fucking care about is her reputation and how it well effect her future in the Olympics. They don’t give a damn if she's happy or stressed or missing her girlfriend... No! The only thing they care about is a fucking gold medal and bragging rights!" Chloé fumed, her anger an impressive sight.

"Like our parents are any different," Adrien muttered.

"At least you have a chance with Marinette. She's talented enough to win your father over."

He slanted a glance at Chloé, wondering if she realized she'd given Marinette an indirect compliment. Not that it mattered... "Father would never allow it. You know that." Feeling some of the day's enjoyment slipping away, Adrien asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing I can do," she shrugged, "Kagami won't risk disappointing her parents much less stand up to them to fight for what she wants, and this is something I can't do for her. So I guess we're over." He looked away as Chloé struggled for composure. "Topic change. This conversation is depressing me."  

When going for a distraction there was one method that always worked. Striving for a light tone, Adrien asked, "Heard any good rumors lately?"

It took Chloé a few moments to answer but when she finally did her voice was steady and her eyes clear. "As a matter of fact, I did hear a rumor the other day that I'm hoping is not true."

Adrien hesitated. "It's not about me, is it?"

"No Adrakins, it’s not about you." Chloé smirked. "Conceited much?"

"You gonna tell me or not?" He grumbled, curiosity piqued.

"Lila Rossi is back in Paris." Adrien tried to suppress a shudder and Chloé snickered. "I made that same face."

Fuck.

He hoped Chloé was wrong. He really, really hoped Chloé was wrong. The last thing he needed was that sociopathic, pathologically lying, fame seeking, gold digging, snake trying to start shit again.

"Well... That's fine. I mean, Paris is a big city, right?" He swallowed hard, trying to keep positive because this bombshell could ruin his day like nothing else. "There's no reason we should cross paths. Ever."

"If that cunt knows what's good for her she'll keep a low profile," said Chloé.

"Be nice, Clo." Adrien sighed, more out of habit than any real sense of kindness toward Lila.

"I was nice last time. I could have had those photos of her father and his mistress leaked to the media. I didn't. I made sure Mme Rossi received them instead," Chloé gloated with a haughtily triumphant smile

"Think Lila knows it was you?" Adrien asked for caution's sake.

"Of course not. Daddy pays people to do as I say, Adrien. It will never get traced back to me. And let's face it, one of us had to do something about the bitch and you don't have the balls to go in for the kill like that."

Adrien had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing out loud.

It wasn't about guts, he had that in spades. It was about anonymity and a limited pool of resources when Gabriel kept such a close eye on the people Adrien associated with. But when push came to shove, Adrien was quite competent with working with what he had.

That bullshit with Lila had been a nightmare. In trying not to lose his newly acquired friends Adrien had taken the passive route only to realize too late that Lila wasn't a simple bully looking for a fight. 

Lila was crazy. Like, the real deal fucking crazy. 

Unfortunately, by the time Adrien had learned the full extent of the hell she'd put Marinette through, not only did he feel like an incredibly shitty friend but he also realized a hard lesson; that there are some people you just can't save, even from themselves.

So Adrien took a stand and decided it was time to get rid of Lila and her tangled web of lies.

He'd known exactly what would happen once Chloé was involved. It was only too easy to kindly point out Lila's treacherous nature, to offer a few innocent warnings to Chloé about Lila sabotaging her popularity, and then tempt her with the sweetest morsel of all; a strategically confided piece of gossip in the form of the name of M. Rossi's mistress, a fellow model who had bragged about her sugar daddy right in front of him at a photoshoot.

Maybe it was cruel. Maybe it was petty. But Lila deserved a taste of her own poison. Equipped with the weaponry he'd given her, Chloé had taken the reigns right out of his hands and rode that horse into the ground.

Adrien didn't even have to lift a finger.

The trick to managing Chloé was to convince her it was her idea. It was always reassuring to have an ace like that up his sleeve.

Still, Adrien would rather not have to resort to manipulating his friend like that a second time.

Chloé nudged his arm, pulling Adrien from his uneasy thoughts. "Tomato Head is trying to get your attention.” 

Adrien looked up to find Nathaniel waving him over. “Tomato Head? Really?”

“Have you seen that pasty little shit blush? And with the hair... he looks like a tomato.”

“You don’t still have a crush on him, do you Clo?” Adrien teased, pushing Lila to the back of his mind as he tried to recapture the carefree feeling from earlier.

“Fuck off!” Chloé spat but the hint of a smile playing about her lips told him that for the moment she was going to be okay. 

“Fine. I’m going.” Adrien started to walk away but paused, looking back over his shoulder. “If you need me for anything…” 

Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Chloé allowed him a small smile. “I know.”

 

* * *

 

The sun was just beginning to sink toward the horizon when Alya suggested getting ice cream before calling it a day. With a sly smile she instructed Nino and Marinette to find someplace to sit then linked her arm with Adrien's arm before anyone could protest. As she led him toward the vendor cart he sighed, accepting his fate with graceful resignation.

Alya did not hesitate to sink her teeth in. "So you and Mari, huh?"

"Yep. We're a thing." He couldn't say it without a smile tugging at his lips and his heart doing a somersault. It felt good to have someone know even as he was compelled to warn, "We can't go public yet so please don't say anything."

"You know Nino and I would never do you  dirty like that." Alya patted his arm in a soothing gesture. "Mari said you guys are taking it one day at a time. Frankly, I'm thrilled. This is a vast improvement to the denial I've had to suffer through because of you."

"Al, you're being ridiculous," Adrien chuckled, the twinkle in his friend's honey eyes making him nervous.

"Years, Adrien. Four fucking years. That's ridiculous."

 _If you only knew..._ "Apparently there's been a lot of suffering going on," Adrien muttered, still trying to wrap his head around the love square he and Marinette had managed to create. Which was quite ridiculous the more he thought about it.

Alya laughed but her grin remained razor sharp. "You're my boy, you know that, but I have to ask you something."

He'd been expecting this question since Alya confiscated his arm. "Okay."

"Is this serious for you? I gotta make sure you're not just killing time with Mari until you run off to some posh university in Switzerland or something."

Adrien blinked. "Since when am I running off to Switzerland?"

"Random example of a worst case scenario," she replied, waving off his question with her free hand. "My point is, she's serious. But Mari's good at selling herself short to make other people happy. And honestly, so are you. Do you see why I'm worried?"

Before Adrien could respond properly it was their turn to order and the momentary distraction offered a brief reprieve from the one woman inquisition as they named their flavors; lemon drop for Nino, mocha java for Alya, raspberry chocolate truffle for Marinette and chocolate chunk cookie dough for Adrien.

Having to hold the ice creams meant that Alya was no longer holding onto Adrien's arm so technically he could make a run for it and hope for the best. Alya hadn't asked the really invasive questions yet so there was still time for self preservation...

As if she heard his thoughts, Alya said, "I don't want to see either of you get hurt because sex complicates everything."

Ignoring the way his face warmed, Adrien spoke from his heart. "Marinette means the world to me. I'm dead serious about her."

"Good." Alya nodded in approval. "Don't let her steamroll you either, okay. She can be very single minded sometimes."

"Don't I know it."

"Last thing. I just want you to know, you're both my friends, okay. No matter what happens."

Adrien's steps faltered as his stomach dropped. "You think something will go wrong?" Did she know something he didn't?

"Nah. You two are golden. I've never seen two people more perfect for each other. But life happens so I just want you to know I'm here for you too."

"Thanks, Alya." Touched more than he could say by Alya's steadfast support, Adrien couldn't help but tease, "Does that make you a double agent?"

"Ooh, good one. By day, I'm an average blogger. By night, I'm a spy in the house of love," Alya countered with a saucy wink.

As they approached the bench where their respective dates were waiting, Nino looked between the two of them taking in Adrien's faint blush and Alya's satisfied smirk. Smooth as glass, he asked, "Babe, are you done flirting shamelessly with my best friend?"

"Sshhh! Let me have this," Alya retorted, plunking herself down on her boyfriend's lap and thrusting his ice cream practically in his face.

"Al, are you perving on me?" It was a bold move but Adrien was trying to turn the tables before this turned into another fun filled round of _How can we embarrass Sunshine today?._ Handing Marinette her ice cream, he took his seat beside her and wished he could put his arm around her or something.

Nino, however, was not to be deterred. "My girlfriend thinks you're hot."

Alya gave a thumbs up, her mouth too full of ice cream to concur.

Marinette peeked up at him from under her lashes, her smile too sweet to be nice. "I can't argue that. She has good taste." 

Aaaand Adrien was out. 

Done. 

Game over.

Cheeks blazing, he whined, "Guys!"

"Babe, tell him about the oreo thing," Nino urged, nudging his girlfriend's hip.

Adrien wasn't sure he wanted to know. His curiosity said otherwise. "Oreo?"

Alya was only too happy to oblige. "Me and Nino with you in the middle."

Adrien choked on his ice cream

"Dude. She's a freak." Nino shrugged helplessly. "I mean, she even has a thing for Kim."

"Have you seen that boy with his shirt off?" Alya fanned her face with her hand. "He's ripped."

Adrien watched in fascinated horror as Alya and Marinette shared a meaningful look.

"Eye Candy!" They said simultaneously, bumping fists.

Turning to Nino, Adrien gaped, "Dude, you're cool with this?"

Alya didn't give her boyfriend the chance to answer as she rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "It's okay to window shop, Sunshine, as long you don't test drive. Besides, he'd like to see a reverse oreo with Mari, Juleka and me in the middle."

"Am I right, bro?" Nino held out his fist.

Embarrassment aside, Adrien had give credit where credit was due. That was a very nice mental image. Bumping Nino's fist, he smirked. "I'd watch that."

Marinette flushed, not looking up from her ice cream.

Alya, of course, took notice. "What about you Mari? Who's in your oreo?"

Marinette glanced up, startled. "Why am I getting dragged into this?" she squeaked.

"It's your turn, that's why," said Alya.

There wasn't anything about "oreos" written in her diary but that didn't mean she didn't have one. And if she did, Adrien wanted to know. "Come on Mari, tell us," he cajoled.

Blue eyes narrowing, Marinette sat a little straighter. "Okay, fine. Since everyone here knows I have a thing for Adrien, obviously he's my first choice. Second would be..." She thought for a moment and Adrien knew he was in trouble when her smile turned down right wicked. "Definitely Chat Noir. What can I say? I've got a thing for hot blonds, even if one of them has a leather kink."

"Chat Noir does not have a leather kink. You do," Adrien sputtered before he his brain could put up a filter.

There was a note of promise in Marinette's laughter that sent a shiver along his skin. "Maybe you're right. He's probably into getting tied up by Ladybug."

Chat Noir may have one or two (dozen) fantasies that involve Ladybug's bandalore but how the hell did she know that?

Damn it!

Point two for Marinette.

It was a blessing when Alya latched onto the topic of her obsession and turned the focus of their conversation to Paris's heroes. It was a curse when she started trying to figure out if they were fucking or not.

A very uncomfortable curse that his girlfriend was entirely too smug about.

So Marinette wanted to tease her kitty? Fine. Two could play that game.

Adrien intended to be one very satisfied kitty by the time he was done with his Princess.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First let me just say, you guys are awesome. I love y'all and every comment, kudos and bookmark is like giving candy to my inner five year old. You guys rock!  
> So... There was a lot to cover in this chapter. We've now entered act two. I'm going to guess we're about half way through the story... I'm estimating probably 20 chapters when all is said and done. That's what I'm aiming for, at least.  
> And now we're going to get some drama. I may as well warn any Lila fans out there, this will be a little salty. As in I can't stand the bitch and this fic will reflect that view point. I'm not crazy about Chloé either, honestly, but she is the lesser of those two evils. I hope I did her personality justice.  
> Now who's ready for some MariChat smut? Stay tuned next chapter. ;)


	10. Taste of Devotion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 6,000 words of smut. You've been warned.

 

Sometimes it was very hard not to act like a cat.

Lying on Marinette's bed, Chat Noir was as happy as could be, rolling around in her sheets and breathing her scent as he damn near smothered himself with her pillow.

It was one thing for Adrien and his better than average sense of smell to catch a whiff of vanilla sugar when she tossed her hair or to find traces of the scent clinging to his clothing. But as Chat his senses were enhanced to the max and that meant there was more to her scent than just Marinette reminding him of warmth and sweetness.

There were nuances to her scent that his human nose could never detect, pheromones that called to him like the most alluring perfume. And then there was the mingling scent of them, the reminder of their morning together and the need inducing tease of arousal that clung to her sheets.

He kind of wanted to bottle it all up and bathe in it until the scent of her surrounded him and she was seeping from his pores.

Chat could hear the murmur of voices downstairs but he didn't listen too closely. Marinette was telling her parents about the concert and would be upstairs soon enough.

He was quite content to waller about in her sheets until then.

When Chat finally heard her footsteps approaching, he perked up, excitement coiling his gut. He'd only been waiting for this moment all damn day. Dragging himself from the heaven of her sheets, he leapt over to the chaise and perched at the ready.

As soon as Marinette came into view Chat kind of wanted to pounce. But like the good kitty he could pretend to be, he waited patiently, basking in the radiant smile she sent his way as she took in his upright ears and happily swaying tail.

Indulgently, for the both of them he suspected, Marinette came to stand before him and began scratching around his kitty ears. "How did you get here so quickly? I thought you were stopping at home first?"

"I did," he replied, the words slightly warbled by his purr as he pointed to the backpack he'd propped against the ladder that led to her bed. "I guess I was just really motivated to get here fast."

"I can't imagine why," she teased, giggling when his tail snaked around her waist, pulling her closer.

"Don't play innocent, Princess." He watched her through heavy eyes, daring her to look away. "I want to find out more about this leather kink you have," he smirked.

As Chat Noir he had never been in Marinette's presence when she was aroused and judging by the effect she was having on him, that was probably a very good thing. She was commandeering his senses. He heard the way her heartbeat accelerated. He felt the way her nails scraped the slightest bit harder. He saw the blush that stained her porcelain skin a dusty rose all the way down to her décolletage. But the scent of her, the spike in pheromones that literally had his mouth watering... yeah, she wouldn't be able to hide that no matter how hard she tried.

"That's all you hot stuff." Marinette's smile was as bold as her statement.

Tugging her closer until her knees bumped the chaise, Chat leaned in, his nose skimming along her meager bosom. "I think you're lying." To prove his point he placed a hand just above her knee and squeezed gently. Letting his touch trail upward under the hem of her dress, he was rewarded with a near silent gasp. "In fact, I know you're lying." He looked up, his smile turning feral. "I can smell it."

Marinette's face exploded with color as she squeaked and Chat laughed, his voice husky with desire. Her scent was laced with arousal and _that_ was doing things to him, like tempting him to follow the heady fragrance down to its source... He licked his lips, the idea alone making him hard.

Marinette did promise she wouldn't stop him this time.

"How about you lock the door." He pressed a soft kiss to her flushed skin, the swell of her breasts rising against his lips as she drew in a steadying breath. "I'm about to start something you won't want interrupted."

Marinette swallowed hard, some of her bravado faltering. "O-okay."

Despite her nerves there was purposeful sway to her hips that had him following her as she moved towards the door, creeping up behind her as the lock slid into place with a dull click.

As she turned to face him, Chat pounced.

He kissed her hard, almost desperately, as his restraint crumbled, his willpower disintegrating faster than if he’d used cataclysm. Arms slipping around Marinette's waist, he pulled her flush against his chest, the hours of keeping himself in check like a good kitty having taken their toll. She was a drug that sent his head spinning and his hands clawing at the soft material of her dress to keep him grounded.

"Chat!" His name was a breathlessly muffled squeak against his lips when they finally parted for air. Marinette blinked, wide eyed and dazed but didn't hesitate to follow his lead as he urged her take tiny steps back toward the chaise, drawing her into another heated kiss.

With a gentle tug the ties of her top unraveled and Chat was as giddy as a child opening a present, just as eager and filled with excited wonder when Marinette pulled back from their kiss and grinned. She reached behind her and then her pretty little dress collapsed into a pool of green around her ankles.

Marinette was so fucking beautiful and it turned his brain to sludge every time she fearlessly bared herself to him and him alone. No one else saw this side of her and he could do nothing but take her in, his eyes roaming greedily over her perky, pink-tipped breasts and taut, flat abdomen, itching to touch every inch of her pale skin and there was so much of it when she stood before him in nothing but lacy panties and her dainty sandals.

It was obvious Chat's cool had deserted him- he was fucking gawking like an idiot- and she laughed, placing one hand on her hip as she tried to be coy, but the blush was spreading like a fever over her skin and the way her eyes remained shy and glued to his chin played his heartstrings with an aching sweetness.

Mustering up her bravado under his awed stare, Marinette quipped, "Cat got your tongue?"

On the contrary, Chat knew exactly where he wanted his tongue and his hands and his... 

Sucking in a breath, drowning in her scent, he stepped closer, clutching her delicately rounded hips as he sank to his knees and tucked his face against her stomach. Marinette's fingers carding through his hair as he dropped a kiss just above her navel. She gasped when he nipped lightly, her legs wobbling. "Maybe you should sit down," he laughed, his voice strained and feel every beat of his hammering pulse right down to his balls.

She tweaked his ear. "Maybe you should quit teasing me already."

"I'm trying to spoil you, Princess," he replied lightly, guiding her down to the chaise. She watched him with curious eyes as he cast her dress aside and then unbuckled her sandals, ever mindful of his claws.

There wasn't much room to maneuver on the narrow lounge chair and Marinette seemed to be reading his mind when she scooted back as far as she could, spreading her knees to give him space to crawl in between. Her arms locked around his shoulders, her mouth offering him a taste of heaven as she kissed him with building urgency, pressing herself into him everywhere their bodies touched.

Chat wondered if the leather-ish texture of his suit felt nice against her bare skin, because aside from the crush of her lips and the weight of her embrace, he couldn't feel her warm softness since the suit was too protective and that really sucked. He lived for the feel of her skin against his. Not that it stopped him from running his hands up her sides to cup and knead her perfectly lovely tits. She shivered, from his touch or the cool material, he couldn't tell.

“Kitty…” 

"I want to go down on you," he panted, leaning back from her soul stealing lips with effort, "but I won't if you're uncomfortable about it."

A fresh wave of pink flooded her cheeks at his boldness but otherwise Marinette didn't waver. "I trust you with all of me," she said simply.

And that was a precious honor Chat would never take for granted, in or out of the suit.

"I love you." The words slipped out as easy as breathing and he'd be lying if he said the adoring look on her gorgeous face wasn't sexy as fuck, if it didn't make him want her all that much more. 

Inspired, he dipped his head to taste the lovely curve of her neck and Marinette gasped, "Love you..."

How was it possible for her to be so sensitive? He was barely touching her, shifting his precarious position to move lower, letting his lips kiss a path over her collarbone and down to the delectable swell of her breast and her back was already arching, her chest pressing up to his mouth even as her hands fisted in his disheveled hair. A shiver danced through her muscles when he teased her nipple, sucking and nippling ever so lightly with his teeth. She crooned softly and it was music to his ears, a siren's song set to the percussion of her pounding heart.

Nuzzling her cleavage, Chat breathed deep, taking in as much of her scent as he could, marveling at how the evidence of her desire served to stoke his own blistering inferno.

Her scent...

He dragged his lips southward, mouthing and nipping across the lithe slope of her stomach, his insides tangling into one big Gordian knot of anticipation and performance anxiety as his trail of kisses came to the waistband of her panties.

Chat looked up, the question written in his smirk as he popped the elastic band gently  against her hip. Marinetted nodded, or the approximation of it since she'd become slouched down into a position that could not be comfortable... actually he wasn't very comfortable either, half hanging off the damn chaise as he was. Readjusting, he kneeled on the floor, leaning over the chair at his waist. Grasping her hips, he tugged Marinette down until she was lying flat on her back, legs draping over the sides of the chaise. That was much better. This new position gave him access to everything.

Marinette was watching him with dark eyes, worrying her lip between her teeth. 

Was she nervous? 

Strangely, that thought was enough to give him a bit of courage. It wasn't like he could fuck this up, right? As long as he didn't use his teeth... _she's not a chew toy, jackass_ …

He shoved the thought away and removed her panties slowly. Marinette's neatly trimmed pussy wasn't exactly a surprise. He'd seen his share of porn, hell he'd even seen his share of naked models behind the scenes at fashion shows, he knew what her parts were supposed to look like. And yet it was amazing how intimidating her glistening pink folds could be when he wasn't sure where to start.

Was there a certain etiquette for eating out your girlfriend? Was foreplay mandatory? Did he just shove his face in and go to town?

Marinette wasn't watching anymore. She was the color of a plum with her wrist draped over her clenched eyes, her body taught as a bow string and entirely too rigid for his liking. Foreplay it was, then.

Starting at her knee Chat began with kisses. Soft, sweet little pecks that tickled her skin and earned him a jittery giggle from the object of his affections. On the opposite side he ran his palm up and down her thigh, in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. The higher he trailed his eager lips the more intoxicating she became and he was drunk on her, greedily drinking in her scent to savor the deliciously painful way it made him ache.

Sucking the skin of her inner thigh sharply, he chuckled as Marinette jerked with a muffled squeak. Her fingers carding through his hair only encouraged him to keep going. Her hips shifted restlessly as he bit lightly, blooms of red contrasting against her paleness like spots.

"Kitty..." She wriggled her hips impatiently.

There was no reason to rush. Chat wanted Marinette relaxed and she was nearly there. He could afford to take his time and play with her. His smarting erection wasn't going anywhere and if he could muster up some restraint then she could too.

"My Bugaboo needs her spots," he laughed, switching his attention to her other leg and  leisurely pausing to leave another mark.

Marinette groaned. "You're a tease."

"I'm only a tease if I don't follow through."

She hummed, fairly squirming as he trailed his mouth higher, so close to where she was wet for him that he could almost feel her desperation. When he nipped the tender skin at the junction of her hip, her legs spread wide, her backside lifting off the chaise as she tugged on his hair.

Marinette was ready, needy even, and that was his cue.

Slowly, for the sake of her nerves as well as his own, Chat pressed a simple kiss to her pussy, giving her a chance to adjust. Marinette's breathing stuttered to a stop but she didn't flinch away so he kissed her again, this time darting his tongue out. She tasted like sex and something uniquely her, not bad per se, just different. Curiously he delved deeper, slipping between her outer lips. He was rewarded with a choked gasp and _that_ spurred his confidence like nothing else.

It proved hard for Marinette to remain still as he explored this new territory, utterly fascinated with how delicately soft she felt and the way her sickness coated his tongue. Using his thumbs to part her folds, he began licking in earnest.

There was a learning curve to this experience, a determination on his part to find out exactly what she liked best. So he paid attention.

Marinette sighed when used the pad of his tongue in broad, steady strokes, whimpering a little when he hit her clit. She bucked her hips and gasped when he swirled around the bundle of nerves but cringed away with a shaky laugh when he lapped it directly. Then she choked on a gasp when he flicked his tongue back and forth, her thighs trembling. Jackpot. He knew he could get her to cum if he kept doing that.

But Chat wasn't done playing yet.

There was a startling contrast to giving pleasure as opposed to receiving. Mutual orgasms were lovely and definitely one of his favorite things but there was something to be said about making Marinette the center of his attention. It added a whole new layer the moment when he could focus entirely on his amazingly gorgeous girlfriend and not end up distracted with getting off as well.

He loved her, especially like this, open and vulnerable with everything he had focused on her and her alone.

Curious, he sucked gently on her clit and she squeaked, squirming away.

"You don't like that?"

Marinette's nose wrinkled. "Not so much."

"Duly noted." Deciding to try something he'd overheard in the locker room, he traced the tip of his tongue in the shape of a star over her clit. She sighed, shifting closer again and he grinned. "How about that?"

"Much bett-" her words cut off with a gasp as he pressed the flat of his tongue to her sensitive nub and purred. He wondered if the vibration would carry through and judging from the way she squirmed he'd take that as a yes.

But even with porn and trash talk from the guys for reference, he was running out of ideas. There was only so many ways he could stimulate her, right? Maybe he should finger her too? He'd seen that done in every girl on girl video. Seemed worth a try.

Then he remembered, _claws idiot_.

Okay, so no fingers. But... there were ways around that.

Sliding his palms under Marinette's ass, he lifted her hips just enough so he could angle farther down and slip his tongue inside. She tensed for a second, her grip tightening on his hair as her thighs clamped around his head but the way she tried to press his face closer told him that it was definitely not a bad thing. But with this new position his face was literally buried in her pussy.

It wouldn't be entirely metaphorical to say he was drowning in her. Slickness was all over everything; smeared on his chin, his cheeks, her thighs, matting her short curls and kind of going up his nose where it was tucked against her clit. So maybe the mechanics of it all wasn't sexy but quiet little news and whimpers she was making as she grinded against his face had his dick jealous for attention.

But he could wait a little longer. His Lady would always come first, as it should be.

Driving his tongue as deep as it would go, he drew back and worked it back in, a pale imitation of what he wanted to do to her with his cock. He swallowed all of her that he could, the filthy sounds of slippery flesh sucking and sliding echoing in tandem with soft gasping cries.

"Please," she panted, unconsciously yanking his hair as she arched into his mouth, "pleasepleasepleaseplease..."

He didn't want to be done but his aching jaw said otherwise and Marinette was asking so nicely it was impossible to say no...

Focusing on her clit, Chat lashed his tongue back and forth, alternating with wide swirls. He held her waist steady and let the purr rumble forth, grinning when her muscles began quivering. She keened and that's what he was after, that high pitched whine when barely above a whisper could still grab him by the balls. He didn't let up the assault; C _um for me, baby,_ a mantra in his head like a fervent prayer because the only religion he'd ever needed was her love. 

When she tensed, her back arching as she crooned his name, he could honestly say there were very few things he'd seen in his life that were more beautiful than Marinette falling apart under his touch.

It took a moment for her legs to release their grip and even longer for her breathing to steady. With his chin resting on her lower belly, Chat was contented to watch her awareness return, grinning with all the self satisfaction he felt and not bothering to tone it down even as her bluebell eyes narrowed playfully.

"You look so smug right now," she laughed lazily.

"And...?" He pecked a kiss just below her navel. "I think I've earned the right to gloat, Princess."

"That was nice," she agreed with a sigh, flushed and boneless.

His grin widened. "Just nice?"

"Words are failing me. Maybe I should show you?"

His stomach tightened pleasantly. "Yes please."

Marinette shifted to sit up and he tried not to chuckle at her odd expression as she took in the wet spot on the chaise. Then she looked at him and her nose wrinkled. "Your face is a mess," she pointed out.

"I like my face the way it is," he teased, giving her a megawatt pout as he sat up as well. She shoved his shoulder and he laughed. "Oh, you mean the mess you made all over my face."

She rolled her eyes, her cheeks going scarlet.

"I'm pretty sure I got the idea from you," he said, all too happy to remind her. He leaned in for a kiss but her palm shot him down real quick when she pushed his face away.

"You are not kissing me with _that_ all over!"

"Seriously?"

His partner glared imperiously back. "At least wipe it off or something."

Geez. Who'd have thought she'd be so squeamish of her own bodily fluids?

Chat looked around for something but aside from her dress which would not go over well and her panties which would defeat the purpose, there wasn't anything he could use. There was always his shirt...

"I'm going to lose the suit. I apologize in advance for whatever Plagg is going to say." Because the furball was going to say something. Adrien wasn't the only one who could be a little shit. He waited until Marinette pulled her knees to her chest before muttering, "Claws out."

True to form, Plagg hovered in the air, looking back and forth between the two with sleepy eyes. The kwami held out his paw and Adrien dutifully handed over the cheese. Then Plagg smirked. "Told you you'd thank me later."

When Marinette arched a brow in question, Adrien swatted at Plagg who zipped away to Tikki's nest with an unrepentant cackle.

"He picked out this shirt. That gives him bragging rights apparently," Adrien explained, rubbing the back of his neck. Funny how some of his cockiness disappeared with the leather get up.

"Good choice." Her admission was soft, half hidden behind her knees. A faint snicker came from the direction of Marinette's desk.

Choosing not to encourage his kwami, Adrien slipped off his shirt and scrubbed his face vigorously. When he finally tossed it aside static had his hair sticking up in every direction which sent Marinette into a fit of giggles.

"Comere you," he growled playfully as he grasped her ankles and pulled her closer.

Or rather, that was his intention, but of course Marinette started kicking which offset his balance and toppled him forward on top of his squirming girlfriend. There was no way to brace himself from falling so he leaned to the side, unsure of what exactly he was hoping to do, though it probably wasn't to lose the fight with gravity and slide off the chaise taking Marinette with him in a tangle of bare skin and awkward limbs.

"Shit! Ow!" he yelped, wincing at the same time Marinette let out a very cat like hiss. Bracing his weight, he asked, "Are you okay?"

"Floor is cold," Marinette replied from where she was wedged beneath him. "Are you okay?"

"I knocked my elbow on the way down."

"You know," she started, slipping her arms around his neck with a wide grin, "when you said you wanted to go down on me I didn't think you meant literally."

Adrien didn't see how she could be comfortable between him and the wood floor but she wasn't trying to move so... he went with it. "There's something about you I fall for every time."

Marinette's grin widened, delightfully unimpressed. "I thought cats always landed on their feet?"

"Soft, cuddly, naked girlfriends are acceptable as well."

"Wow. I've been objectified as a human landing mat."

"Yes, but your my human landing mat," he reasoned sagely. "I promise I won't land on anyone else while they're naked."

"I should hope not," she laughed, rolling her eyes for good measure. "I swear, only you can be so sweet yet so weird. And speaking of weird, I feel weird being the only one naked and the floor is freezing so how about we continue this in my bed?"

Adrien hated to lose the warmth of her against him but she was right, her bed was beckoning and it was swiftly becoming one of his favorite places to be. "I'm down with that."

"Actually," she said coyly, melting him with the way she blinked her bluebell eyes prettily, "what I have in mind will work much better if you're up for it."

"That's definitely not a problem," he quipped.

With cat-like grace, Adrien shot to his feet and hoisted Marinette over his shoulder in one fluid motion, shushing her through his laughter as she tried her best to muffle her startled shriek behind her hand. "I've got you," he promised, making sure he had a secure hold on her thighs before giving a quick kiss to her hip and taking the ladder two at a time.

Marinette landed on her bed with a bounce, quickly scrambling to her knees to make room. Adrien kicked off his shoes then let her guide him closer by his belt loops, not at all self conscious as her eyes lingered hot and curious on the tenting action going on beneath the black denim.

There was no keeping his hands off of her, his fingers digging into her rounded bottom to hold her closer, and then she was kissing him, stealing his thoughts with her clever lips. Only for his brain to turn to mush when she deftly removed his belt, tossing it over the railing without a care as she moved on to his button and zipper.

Adrien's heart thumped with painfully acute anticipation as his jeans went slack, sliding low on his hips.

Marinette leaned back, just enough to glide her touch up the defined planes of his chest,  her hands coming to settle on his shoulders. "Lay down," she ordered, her tone a dangerous interweaving of sass and want that made it impossible for him to deny her anything, "It's my turn to play with you.

Doing as told, he relaxed against her fluffy cat pillow (the irony was not lost on him) more than content to let Marinette have her fun.

First thing to hit the floor was his socks. He he had to lift his ass so she could shimmy his jeans down his legs, then that too went over the railing and far away.

She hesitated, her fingers resting on the waistband of his boxers, staring at the dark gray cotton as if it held an akuma that she needed to figure out as she worried her lip absently. Her reserve was classic Marinette behavior, but then her eyes narrowed in determination and Ladybug was smirking down at him, swift and efficient in pulling his boxers down his hips.

Free from the confines of restrictive material, his little buddy twitched.

Marinette clapped a hand over her mouth trying to stifle her snicker. "It moved."

Adrien bit back a laugh. "Must be excited." He made it twitch again.

"Oh god..." she mumbled, her expression somewhere between amused and worried, "Did you know it could do that? Because I did not know it could do that."

"It's happy."

Marinette gave him the look. "Are you wagging your penis at me?"

Tentatively, she reached to touch it, her fingertips just grazing to head when he made it jump again. She snatched her hand back with a surprised eep.

It was damn near impossible to keep a straight face as he tensed his muscles and made it bobb faster. "Wow. Now it's dancing. See?"

If Marinette saw he did not see because she lobbed a pillow right in his face.

"Stop making it move!" She cried, falling into another fit of giggles.

He pulled the offending pillow from obscuring the delightful view of Marinette's perfect breasts. "It has a mind of its own."

"Like your tail?"

"Okay," he conceded, "the tail really does do its own thing."

"I don't know..." Her doubtful tone was belied by her wide grin as she ran the tip of her index finger up along the side of his aching cock.  The fleeting contact sent a sweet tingle up his spine. “I think you enjoy being a bad kitty.”

Well, she certainly wasn’t wrong about that.

"But you love it," he teased, urging her closer as his touch gravitated toward her happy handfuls, the gentle weight of them stoking the decadent heat coiling in his gut.

"Ah, ah, ah," she tisked, impishly pushing his hands away and pinning his wrists to the bed. "Don't move, okay. I don't want you distracting me."

More than willing to be her personal plaything if it meant she'd touch him again, Adrien tucked his hands beneath the cat pillow and beamed. "Do your worst, Bugaboo."

It wasn't until the gauntlet was thrown and his bold words hung in the air between them that Adrien realized he may have gotten in over his head. 

"Ooh, I do love a good challenge," Marinette agreed. The devilish sparkle in her eye only made him burn hotter.

Fingers greedy and curious, Marinette let them roam down his biceps and over his pectorals, tracing the lines of his muscles, feather light and leaving a scorched trail in their wake. She flicked his nipple playfully and he jerked away from the ticklish feeling but then sucked in a breath sharply when she lightly scraped her nails causing his skin to tingle.

Her explorations moved lower, palms splayed over his side as his heart pounded out a rhythm reserved for her and her alone. It was sweet torture to watch her with pink dusted across her cheeks, nibbling her bottom lip and not be able kiss her. Even more, to feel the inviting warmth of her skin but only in the places where she touched him.

He nearly arched toward her as she teased over his abs and along the v of his hips, taking her time as she made him squirm, playing with the golden hairs trailing down from his navel and seemingly in no hurry to reach where he needed her attention the most.

He was tempted to ask nicely. Fuck, he was so hard and ready that she wouldn't have to give it much effort. As lame as that probably was, he honestly didn't fucking care.

Need roaring in his blood, his breath caught as her thumb brushed against the base of his shaft, but then she moved away and smiled innocently.

"Now who's the tease," he grunted, willing himself not to blow his load the second she actually followed through.

"But you love it," she winked, throwing his own words back at him, and... well, she wasn't wrong. He loved all of her, even when she was tying him up in wicked knots-

And then she just had to pat his dick ever so gently on the head because.... really? Okay, so yeah his dick was a good boy, loyal and faithful and only chasing after her pussy in particular, but... a pat on the head. That's all? Didn't it, at the very least, deserve a good rub down?

As if she could read his thoughts, Marinette met his eyes with a flaming face and a helpless shrug. "I'm not sure how to start this. Should I just grab it?"

"Here," he offered, finding her uncertainty endearingly sexy, "I'll show you." Lacing his fingers with hers, he guided her to start at the head and use the pre-cum leaking from the tip to help slide her grip down and then move up again with firm pressure.

After a few strokes Adrien shoved his hand back under the cat pillow, both fists clutching for dear life at the stuffed feline because there really was no right or wrong way to do this and the fact that she was touching him at all was pretty fucking amazing. Add to that the slow and steady friction as she worked his cock and he was losing control faster than he could call up a cataclysm.

When he groaned Marinette looked up questioningly. "Is this okay?

He could only nod, chanting piano chords in his head, desperate for a distraction from the shooting sparks of pleasure twisting his gut, his balls tight and tingling every time she jostled them on the down stroke.

 _Fuckfuckfuck_... he was not going to hold out at this rate.

"How about this?" She asked, pumping him faster. He tried to say yes but what came out of his mouth sounded more like a garbled whine than actual words and he could hear Marinette's smug grin even with his eyes screwed shut. "Are you close?"

He nodded again, his hips rising into her touch without conscious directive on his part.

Then she stopped.

Just. Fucking. Stopped.

Adried sucked in a breath, fully prepared to beg if that was what she wanted, only to let it out in a surprised whoosh as wet warmth enveloped him. His eyes shot open and his heart beat kicked up like a revving engine at the sight of Marinette's pink lips wrapped around the head of his cock.

Asdfghjkk...

The ability to think was gone. Words were gone. Reality....

Reality was her mouth taking him in as far as she could until he damn near hit the back of her throat. His world had shrunk to nothing more than the gentle suction pulling at his cock as her tongue dragged along the sensitive underside. His universe was galaxies exploding to life behind his eyelids because as much as he wanted to watch, his girl was sugary sweet with a pornstar mouth  and she felt too fucking good and he wanted it to last just a little longer.

Then she did a swirly thing with her tongue and it was game over. He managed to choke out a warning, barely giving her time to pull away before his orgasm hit hard and fast, leaving him a spent and panting mess.

"Holy fuck." Yep. That about summed it up.

"Its... sticky," came Marinette's hesitant reply.

Cracking an eye open, Adrien watched his girlfriend open and close her fingers as she examined his semen with a critical eye. He wondered if she realized there was some on her chin and more splashed on her collarbone.

Wincing, he motioned to her neck area. "Um... you got a little jiz..."

Marinette tried looking down to where he pointed but unable to see she swiped at her neck instead and cringed. "Eww."

Giving into his laughter, Adrien sat up and used his discarded boxers to help Marinette clean up, getting at the spots she couldn't see to reach. Every time she made a face, he laughed harder.

"It isn't that funny."

"Oh yes it is," he disagreed, wiping his eyes in between chuckles and landing a peck on her nose for good measure.

"You don't find this embarrassing at all?" She retorted incredulously.

He really didn’t. Maybe it was the years of modeling or maybe it was just a guy versus girl thing, he wasn’t sure, so he answered her candidly. "Not really. Getting off is messy business. If you're not sweaty, sticky and lying in a wet spot afterward then you didn't do it right."

"My inner overachiever is strangely comforted by that statement," Marinette snarked with a roll of her eyes, a small smile playing about her lips.

“Good because I love you and there’s no reason for you to be embarrassed around me.” He smoothed her hair back behind her ear, the tenderness he felt for getting the best of him.

"I know and I love you too," she replied, leaning in to kiss him sweetly. 

The tension in her slight frame wilted away as he laid them down and gathered her close, always wanting her closer, the touch-starved part of him never close enough. Snuggling into her warmth, Adrien propped his head up on one hand. "I'm not really tired," he remarked innocently.

Marinette hummed in agreement. "Me either."

Resting his other hand on her lower belly, he started rubbing soothing circles. "Not feeling video games though."

She was silent for a moment, considering him curiously. "We could watch a movie?"

He slid his hand lower, smirking. "Do you really want to watch a movie?"

Marinette's gaze darted down to his lips, her own quirking upward at the corners. "No."

"I have an idea," he said, his shit-eating grin wide enough to split his cheeks as his blood began to heat, "Lets see how many times I can make you cum."

As Adrien’s fingertips teased her damp curls Marinette’s legs fell open, her eyelids fluttering shut. “Okay,” she sighed, offering herself up to the devoted attention he intended to lavish on her until she begged him to stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I’m really sorry you’ve had to wait so long for this chapter. The holidays kicked my ass this year and I fully intended to have this up before xmas but as you can see, that did not happen.  
> Thank you so much for taking the time to read this bit of silliness. I was aiming for a more intense overall feel but let's face it, these two dorks are going to have fun in the bedroom and they’re going to laugh at themselves and each other because that’s just their dynamic. Trying to change that wasn’t working.  
> This chapter is a bit shorter than the rest but the next two scenes kind of go hand in hand and to add them here would have make the chapter ridiculously long. So instead I give you the gift of smut. Next time back to our regularly scheduled plot (and more smut eventually).  
> Until next time, peace out!


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